Quantum error detection I: Statement of the problem

This paper is devoted to the problem of error detection with quantum codes. We show that it is possible to give a consistent definition of the undetected error event. To prove this, me examine possible problem settings for quantum error detection, Our goal is to derive a functional that describes the probability: of undetected error under natural physical assumptions concerning transmission with error detection with quantum codes, We discuss possible transmission protocols with stabilizer and unrestricted quantum codes. The set of results proved in the paper shows that in all the cases considered the average probability of undetected error for a given code is essentially given by one and the same function of its weight enumerators. In the final section of the paper we examine polynomial invariants of quantum codes and show that coefficients of Rains's "unitary weight enumerators" [17] are known for classical codes under the name of binomial moments of the distance distribution. As in the classical situation, these enumerators provide an alternative expression for the probability of undetected error. In a companion paper (part II) we use the relation of the probability of undetected error and weight enumerators to derive bounds on this probability for quantum codes.