We show that errors are not generated correlatedly provided that quantum bits do not directly interact with (or couple to) each other. Generally, this no-qubit-interaction condition is assumed except for the case where two-qubit gate operation is being performed. In particular, the no-qubit-interaction condition is satisfied in the collective decoherence models. Thus, errors are not correlated in the collective decoherence. Consequently, we can say that current quantum error correcting codes that correct single-qubit errors will work in most cases including the collective decoherence.

• Received 31 January 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.63.022303