Coherence as a Unit Resource for Quantum Error Correction

Abstract

In this paper we study an error correcting protocol that specifically derives its error correcting properties from elementary units of coherence. The entire protocol from beginning to end is performed using non-coherence increasing operations, resulting in the consumption of the input coherence, thus necessitating further quantum resources if one wishes to perform the protocol again. We show that even when the input quantum resource is just 1 coherent qubit, one may acquire partial protection from phase flip errors, and that this can be scaled up to protect against arbitrary qubit errors with 6 ancillary coherent qubits as input. The work presented strengthens the operational interpretation of a single unit of coherence by providing a useful information theoretic task that one may perform when such elementary units of coherence are available.