Step-by-Step Derivation
- Circuit and error model
We start in the physical state
\[
\rho_0 = |0000\>\!\<0000|\;,
\]
and apply in sequence (right‐to‐left)
\[
H_2,\;\;
\underbrace{\mathrm{CNOT}_{2\to1}}_{\rm noisy},\;\;
H_0,\;\;
\underbrace{\mathrm{CNOT}_{0\to3}}_{\rm noisy}.
\]
Each noisy CNOT acts as the perfect CNOT followed by a two‐qubit depolarizing channel on its two qubits:
\[
\mathcal{E}_{ij}(\rho)
\;=\;
(1-p)\,\rho
\;+\;
\frac{p}{15}\sum_{P\in\{I,X,Y,Z\}^{\!\otimes2}\setminus\{II\}}
P\,\rho\,P\,.
\]
- Unitary‐invariance of fidelity
Let \(U= \mathrm{CNOT}_{0\to3}\,H_0\,\mathrm{CNOT}_{2\to1}\,H_2\) be the ideal preparation unitary and
\[
\rho_{\rm final}
=
\bigl(\mathcal{E}_{03}\circ\mathcal{U}_{\rm CNOT_{0\to3}}\bigr)
\circ
\bigl(\mathcal{U}_{H_0}\bigr)
\circ
\bigl(\mathcal{E}_{21}\circ\mathcal{U}_{\rm CNOT_{2\to1}}\bigr)
\circ
\bigl(\mathcal{U}_{H_2}\bigr)\,
(\rho_0)
\]
the actual noisy output. The fidelity with the ideal pure state \(|\psi_{\rm ideal}\>=U|0000\>\) satisfies
\[
F
\;=\;
\<\psi_{\rm ideal}|\;\rho_{\rm final}\;|\psi_{\rm ideal}\>
\;=\;
\<0000|\;
\bigl(\mathcal{U}_{H_2}^\dagger\circ\mathcal{U}_{\rm CNOT_{2\to1}}^\dagger\circ\cdots\bigr)
(\rho_{\rm final})
\;|\!0000\>\!,
\]
i.e.\ by unitarity of the H’s and CNOT’s the fidelity reduces to that obtained by applying only the two depolarizing channels to the initial \(|0000\>\).
- Factorization over disjoint qubit pairs
The two depolarizing channels act on disjoint pairs:
- \(\mathcal{E}_{21}\) on qubits \((2,1)\),
- \(\mathcal{E}_{03}\) on qubits \((0,3)\),
and leave the other qubits untouched. Hence after \(\mathcal{E}_{21}\) the state is
\[
\rho' \;=\; |0\>\<0|_{0}\;\otimes\;\mathcal{E}_{21}\bigl(|00\>\<00|_{21}\bigr)\;\otimes\;|0\>\<0|_{3},
\]
and then \(\mathcal{E}_{03}\) acts only on \((0,3)\). The fidelity with \(|0000\>=|0\>_0\otimes|00\>_{21}\otimes|0\>_3\) factorizes:
\[
F \;=\;
\bigl\<00\big|\mathcal{E}_{21}(|00\>\<00|)\bigl|00\bigr\>
\;\times\;
\bigl\<00\big|\mathcal{E}_{03}(|00\>\<00|)\bigl|00\bigr\>.
\]
- Single‐pair fidelity
For any two‐qubit pure state \(|00\>\) and the above depolarizing channel \(\mathcal{E}\),
\[
\<00|\mathcal{E}(|00\>\<00|)|00\>
= (1-p)\;+\;\frac{p}{15}\sum_{P\neq I\!\otimes I}\bigl|\<00|P|00\>\bigr|^2.
\]
Only the Paulis \(Z\otimes I,\;I\otimes Z,\;Z\otimes Z\) leave \(|00\>\) (up to phase), so there are 3 such \(P\)’s with
\(|\<00|P|00\>|^2=1\). Hence
\[
F_{2{\rm qbit}}
= (1-p) \;+\;\frac{3\,p}{15}
= 1 \;-\;\frac{4}{5}\,p.
\]
- Total 4-qubit fidelity
Since both noisy CNOTs give the same two-qubit fidelity and act on disjoint pairs,
\[
F(p)
\;=\;
\Bigl(1 - \tfrac{4}{5}\,p\Bigr)
\times
\Bigl(1 - \tfrac{4}{5}\,p\Bigr)
\;=\;
\Bigl(1 - \tfrac{4}{5}\,p\Bigr)^2.
\]
Final Answer:
\[
F_{\rm phys}(p)\;=\;\biggl(1-\frac{4}{5}\,p\biggr)^{2}.
\]