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  • Open Access

Fault-Tolerant Stabilizer Measurements in Surface Codes with Three-Qubit Gates

Josias Old1,2,*, Stephan Tasler3,†, Michael J. Hartmann3, and Markus Müller1,2

  • *Contact author: j.old@fz-juelich.de
  • †Contact author: stephan.tasler@fau.de
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 240601 – Published 9 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/sblg-fbq4

Abstract

Stabilizer quantum error correction (QEC) codes, in particular topological surface codes, are prime candidates to enable practical quantum computing. While it is widely believed that strictly fault-tolerant protocols can only be implemented using single- and two-qubit gates, several quantum computing platforms, including trapped ions, neutral atoms, and superconducting qubits, support native multi-qubit operations. In this Letter, we show that stabilizer measurement circuits for unrotated surface codes can be fault tolerant using single auxiliary qubits and three-qubit gates. These gates enable lower-depth circuits with fewer fault locations and potentially shorter QEC cycle times. We find that in an optimistic parameter regime where fidelities of three-qubit gates are the same as those of two-qubit gates, the logical error rate can be up to one order of magnitude lower and the threshold significantly higher, increasing from ≈0.63% to ≈0.83%. Our results, applicable to a wide range of platforms, motivate further investigation into multi-qubit gates for fault-tolerant QEC as they can offer substantial time and physical qubit resource advantages to reach a given target logical error rate.

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See Also

Low-Depth Quantum Error Correction via Three-Qubit Gates in Rydberg Atom Arrays

Laura Pecorari, Sven Jandura, and Guido Pupillo
Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 240602 (2025)

Article Text

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 240601– Published 9 December, 2025
  • Received 9 July 2025
  • Revised 16 October 2025
  • Accepted 13 November 2025
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