title: Unified and generalized approach to quantum error correction.
abstract: We present a unified approach to quantum error correction, called operator quantum error correction. Our scheme relies on a generalized notion of a noiseless subsystem that is investigated here. By combining the active error correction with this generalized noiseless subsystems method, we arrive at a unified approach which incorporates the known techniques--i.e., the standard error correction model, the method of decoherence-free subspaces, and the noiseless subsystem method--as special cases. Moreover, we demonstrate that the quantum error correction condition from the standard model is a necessary condition for all known methods of quantum error correction.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kribs
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laflamme
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poulin