title: High threshold error correction for the surface code.
abstract: An algorithm is presented for error correction in the surface code quantum memory. This is shown to correct depolarizing noise up to a threshold error rate of 18.5%, exceeding previous results and coming close to the upper bound of 18.9%. The time complexity of the algorithm is found to be polynomial with error suppression, allowing efficient error correction for codes of realistic sizes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wootton
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loss