quantum gate directory
Controlled Clock
Symbol
Qubits: $2$ Dimension: $d$
Description:
Qudit generalization of controlled-$Z$ that applies the phase $\omega^{ct}$ to $|c,t\rangle$.
Alternate notations:
- $\mathrm{C}Z_d$
- $\mathrm{CP}_d$
- $\Lambda(Z_d)$
Controlled version of: Clock
SDK Support
| SDK | Name |
|---|---|
| Qiskit | — |
| PennyLane | — |
| Cirq | — ⓘ |
| Q# | — |
| PyQuil | — |
| Braket | — |
| BQSKit | — |
| Qibo | — |
| pytket | — |
| Stim | — |
| OpenQASM | — |
Groups
This gate is contained in the following groups:
Reference
Generalizing Pauli Checks for Qudit-based Quantum Error Detection and Mitigation (2026)
The controlled clock gate, also called qudit controlled-$Z$, is the $d$-level generalization of controlled-$Z$. Let $\omega = \mathrm{e}^{2\pi i/d}$. With the control listed first, it applies a phase determined by both computational-basis values:
$$ \mathrm{CZ}_d |c,t\rangle = \omega^{ct}|c,t\rangle, \qquad \mathrm{CZ}d = \sum^{d-1}|c\rangle\langle c| \otimes Z_d^c, $$
where $Z_d$ is the clock gate. Equivalently, its diagonal element on $|c,t\rangle$ is $\omega^{ct}$.
Properties
- At $d=2$, $\mathrm{CZ}_2$ is the usual controlled-$Z$ gate.
- Diagonal and symmetric under exchanging the two qudits: $\omega^{ct}=\omega^{tc}$.
- Its inverse applies the conjugate phase, $\mathrm{CZ}_d^\dagger|c,t\rangle=\omega^{-ct}|c,t\rangle$. For $d>2$, it is generally not self-inverse, but $\mathrm{CZ}_d^d=I$.
- It is the Chrestenson-basis form of controlled shift: $\mathrm{CZ}_d=(I\otimes C_d),\mathrm{SUM}_d,(I\otimes C_d^\dagger)$.
Usage
- Qudit phase kickback, generalized stabilizer circuits, and entangling controlled-phase operations.
- In the paper's Pauli-check sandwiching protocol, the clock-type right check is $\mathrm{CZ}_d$ and the corresponding left check is $\mathrm{CZ}_d^\dagger$, with an ancilla acting as the control.
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