Tensor-Network Simulations of the Surface Code under Realistic Noise

Abstract

The surface code is a many-body quantum system, and simulating it in generic conditions is computationally hard. While the surface code is believed to have a high threshold, the numerical simulations used to establish this threshold are based on simplified noise models. We present a tensor-network algorithm for simulating error correction with the surface code under arbitrary local noise. We use this algorithm to study the threshold and the subthreshold behavior of the amplitude damping and systematic rotation channels. We also compare these results to those obtained by making standard approximations to the noise models.