Here is a list of code families which contain perfect codes.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| Combinatorial design code | A constant-weight binary code that is mapped into a combinatorial \(t\)-design. The mapping proceeds as follows for a length-\(n\) code with codewords of constant weight \(w\). A \(c\) corresponds to a block of the design, with the codeword's \(j\)th coordinate labeling whether or not element \(j\) is contained in the block. There are a total of \(n\) elements, and the constant weight of the code implies that each block contains a fixed number \(w\) of elements. The code supports an \(S(t,w,n)\) Steiner system if each subset of \(t\leq w\) elements is contained in exactly one block. More generally, the code supports a combinatorial \(t\)-design, or, more precisely, a \(t-(n,w,\lambda)\)-design, if each such \(t\)-subset is contained in exactly \(\lambda \geq 1\) blocks. |
| Golay code | A \([23, 12, 7]\) perfect binary linear code with connections to various areas of mathematics, e.g., lattices [1] and sporadic simple groups [2]. Adding a parity bit to the code results in the \([24, 12, 8]\) extended Golay code. Up to equivalence, both codes are unique for their respective parameters. |
| Hamming code | Member of an infinite family of perfect linear codes with parameters \([2^r-1,2^r-r-1, 3]\) for \(r \geq 2\). Their \(r \times (2^r-1) \) parity-check matrix \(H\) has all possible non-zero \(r\)-bit strings as its columns. Adding a parity check yields the \([2^r,2^r-r-1, 4]\) extended Hamming code. |
| Hexacode | The \([6,3,4]_4\) self-dual MDS code with generator matrix \begin{align} \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & \omega\\ 0 & 1 & 0 & 1 & \omega & 1\\ 0 & 0 & 1 & \omega & 1 & 1 \end{pmatrix}~, \tag*{(1)}\end{align} where \(GF(4) = \{0,1,\omega, \bar{\omega}\}\). Has connections to projective geometry, lattices [1], and conformal field theory [3]. |
| Perfect binary code | An \((n,K,2t+1)\) binary code is perfect if parameters \(n\), \(K\), and \(t\) are such that the binary Hamming (a.k.a. sphere-packing) bound \begin{align} \sum_{j=0}^{t} {n \choose j} \leq 2^{n}/K \tag*{(2)}\end{align} becomes an equality. For example, for a code with one logical bit (\(K=2\)) and \(t=1\), the bound becomes \(n+1 \leq 2^{n-1}\). Perfect codes are those for which balls of Hamming radius \(t\) exactly fill the space of all \(n\) binary strings. |
| Perfect code | An \((n,K,2t+1)_q\) code is perfect if parameters \(n\), \(K\), \(t\), and \(q\) are such that the Hamming (a.k.a. sphere-packing) bound \begin{align} \sum_{j=0}^{t}(q-1)^{j}{n \choose j}\leq q^{n}/K \tag*{(3)}\end{align} becomes an equality. In other words, the code's packing radius matches its covering radius. |
| Perfect quantum code | A non-degenerate code constructed out of \(q\)-dimensional qudits and having parameters \(((n,K,2t+1))\) is perfect if \(n\), \(K\), \(t\), and \(q\) are such that the quantum Hamming bound \begin{align} \sum_{j=0}^{t}(q^2-1)^{j}{n \choose j}\leq q^{n}/K \tag*{(4)}\end{align} becomes an equality. For example, for a qubit \(q=2\) code with one logical qubit (\(K=2\)) and \(t=1\), the bound becomes \(3n+1 \leq 2^{n-1}\). The bound can be saturated only at certain \(n\). |
| Ternary Golay code | A \([11,6,5]_3\) perfect ternary linear code with connections to various areas of mathematics, e.g., lattices [1] and sporadic simple groups [2]. Adding a parity bit to the code results in the \([12, 6, 6]\) extended ternary Golay code. Up to equivalence, both codes are unique for their respective parameters. |
| Tetracode | The \([4,2,3]_3\) self-dual MDS code with generator matrix \begin{align} \begin{pmatrix}1 & 0 & 1 & 1\\ 0 & 1 & 1 & 2 \end{pmatrix}~, \tag*{(5)}\end{align} where \(GF(3) = \{0,1,2\}\). Has connections to lattices [1]. |
| Vasilyev code | Member of an infinite \((2^{m+1}-1,2^{2n-m},3)\) family of perfect nonlinear codes for any \(m \geq 3\). Constructed by applying a modification of the \((u|u+v)\) construction to a perfect \((2^m-1,2^{n-m},3)\) code, not necessarily linear [2; pg. 77]. |
| \([7,4,3]\) Hamming code | Second-smallest member of the Hamming code family with generator matrix \begin{align} \left(\begin{array}{ccccccccccc} 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 0\\ 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 1\\ 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1\\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 \end{array}\right)~. \tag*{(6)}\end{align} Up to equivalence, this is the only nontrivial length-seven perfect binary code containing the zero vector. |
| \(q\)-ary Hamming code | Member of an infinite family of perfect linear \(q\)-ary codes with parameters \([(q^r-1)/(q-1),(q^r-1)/(q-1)-r, 3]_q\) for \(r \geq 2\). |
References
- [1]
- J. H. Conway and N. J. A. Sloane, Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups (Springer New York, 1999) DOI
- [2]
- F. J. MacWilliams and N. J. A. Sloane. The theory of error correcting codes. Elsevier, 1977.
- [3]
- J. A. Harvey and G. W. Moore, “Moonshine, superconformal symmetry, and quantum error correction”, Journal of High Energy Physics 2020, (2020) arXiv:2003.13700 DOI