Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We propose Pathfinder-BP, a recursive decoder for topological quantum codes that combines belief propagation with controlled bit-flipping. An initial BP pass identifies and permanently fixes high-confidence errors. Upon convergence failure, the decoder recursively explores alternative error patterns by tentatively flipping low-confidence variables. On surface codes, Pathfinder-BP achieves a noise threshold and logical error rate comparable to minimum-weight perfect matching (MWPM). A crucial advantage of Pathfinder-BP is its highly parallelizable structure, which yields a worst-case decoding latency quasi-linear in the code distance, making it a suitable candidate for low-latency hardware implementation.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Language: English
Subfield: Artificial Intelligence
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7221796266