Reed-Muller Codes Achieve Holevo Capacity on Classical-Quantum Channels

Friday 21 March 2025


The quest for efficient and reliable data transmission has driven innovation in communication technology, leading to significant advancements in recent years. One crucial aspect of this journey is the development of Reed-Muller codes, a class of error-correcting codes that have been extensively studied and applied in various fields. A new study sheds light on the application of Reed-Muller codes to classical-quantum (CQ) channels, offering insights into their potential for high-performance data transmission.


The researchers focused on binary-input symmetric CQ channels, which are a fundamental type of channel used in many communication systems. They explored the Holevo capacity, a measure of the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted through such channels. The study demonstrated that Reed-Muller codes can achieve this capacity, making them an attractive choice for applications where high reliability is crucial.


To understand the significance of this achievement, it’s essential to grasp the basics of CQ channels and Reed-Muller codes. Classical-quantum channels are a type of communication channel that combines classical information with quantum states. They are used in various applications, including cryptography and quantum computing. Reed-Muller codes, on the other hand, are a class of error-correcting codes that have been widely applied in digital communication systems.


The researchers employed a novel approach to analyze the performance of Reed-Muller codes over CQ channels. They utilized the orthogonal decomposition of observables under a weighted inner product to establish a recursive relation for the minimum mean-squared error estimate of a single bit in the code. This allowed them to bound the bit-error probability and demonstrate that any set of 2o(√log N) bits can be decoded with high probability when the code rate is below the Holevo capacity.


The study’s findings have significant implications for the development of CQ communication systems. Reed-Muller codes have been shown to achieve the Holevo capacity, making them an attractive choice for applications where high reliability is crucial. This achievement could pave the way for the widespread adoption of Reed-Muller codes in various fields, including cryptography and quantum computing.


Furthermore, the study’s approach provides a new framework for analyzing the performance of Reed-Muller codes over CQ channels. The recursive relation established by the researchers can be used to bound the bit-error probability and improve the decoding efficiency of the code. This could lead to further advancements in the field of error-correcting codes and their applications.


Cite this article: “Reed-Muller Codes Achieve Holevo Capacity on Classical-Quantum Channels”, The Science Archive, 2025.


Reed-Muller Codes, Classical-Quantum Channels, Holevo Capacity, Error-Correcting Codes, Data Transmission, Communication Technology, Cryptography, Quantum Computing, Orthogonal Decomposition, Weighted Inner Product.


Reference: Avijit Mandal, Henry D. Pfister, “Reed-Muller Codes on CQ Channels via a New Correlation Bound for Quantum Observables” (2025).


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