Noise-Aware Detectable Byzantine Agreement for Consensus-based Distributed Quantum Computing

In distributed quantum computing (DQC), achieving consensus with adversarial elements presents a critical challenge. This paper proposes an innovative framework that enhances the Quantum Byzantine Agreement (QBA) protocol by integrating practical quantum error mitigation techniques, specifically Quantum Readout Error Mitigation (QREM) and Dynamical Decoupling (DD). Utilizing Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices, our approach aims to improve operational reliability significantly. Our results demonstrate that QREM and DD effectively mitigate common quantum channel errors through rigorous experimentation on both simulated environments and IBM’s quantum hardware. The proposed protocol also introduces a verification mechanism inspired by Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems, ensuring the secure transmission of commands encoded in quantum states. In cases of discrepancies, lieutenants engage in systematically designed interactions to achieve consensus, influenced by the Commander’s strategic decisions and the network’s size. Our empirical analysis highlights the protocol’s enhanced resilience and efficiency under various conditions, while also addressing challenges related to scalability as the network size increases.