Understanding Quantum Instruments

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Hashim, Akel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Hashim, Akel
author_facet Hashim, Akel
contents The quantum instrument (QI) formalism is required to model mid-circuit measurements (MCMs) and the dependence of the post-measurement state on the measurement outcome. Correctly modeling QIs is essential for applications using MCMs, such as adaptive circuits and quantum error correction. Although QIs yield a joint quantum-classical state after measurement, errors in QIs can still be represented by a $d^2 \times d^2$ superoperator (e.g., process or transfer matrix) for each outcome, just as superoperators describe Markovian errors on unitary gates. However, because the joint quantum-classical system has a distinct error model for each outcome, this complicates the usual interpretation of process- or transfer-matrix error models. This Note offers practical guidance on understanding and interpreting QI error models.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_18884
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Understanding Quantum Instruments
Hashim, Akel
Quantum Physics
The quantum instrument (QI) formalism is required to model mid-circuit measurements (MCMs) and the dependence of the post-measurement state on the measurement outcome. Correctly modeling QIs is essential for applications using MCMs, such as adaptive circuits and quantum error correction. Although QIs yield a joint quantum-classical state after measurement, errors in QIs can still be represented by a $d^2 \times d^2$ superoperator (e.g., process or transfer matrix) for each outcome, just as superoperators describe Markovian errors on unitary gates. However, because the joint quantum-classical system has a distinct error model for each outcome, this complicates the usual interpretation of process- or transfer-matrix error models. This Note offers practical guidance on understanding and interpreting QI error models.
title Understanding Quantum Instruments
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.18884