Qubit Readout Discrimination through Fuzzy Clustering

Accurate quantum state discrimination is critical for reliable qubit readout in current superconducting quantum processors, as it enables precise measurement outcomes, reduces readout-induced errors, and improves the overall reliability of quantum algorithm execution. Recently, machine learning (ML) techniques have been explored to enhance quantum state discrimination, outperforming traditional methods based on static thresholds. However, these approaches rely on hard-decision schemes that assign binary outcomes without accounting for readout uncertainty, thereby disregarding signal-level variations that can degrade measurement fidelity. This paper introduces a measurement-aware classification approach based on Fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering combined with data filtering, enabling soft-decision readout discrimination through confidence-based shot selection. Experimental validation was conducted on four different real IBM quantum devices, including single- and two-qubit readout scenarios, as well as multi-qubit circuits preparing GHZ and W states with up to 10 qubits. Results show that the proposed method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art ML-based discriminators in terms of assignment fidelity and state reconstruction accuracy, demonstrating its effectiveness for enhancing readout quality in near-term quantum computing platforms. Quantitatively, the FCM-based discriminator yields 2–3% assignment fidelity improvements in single- and two-qubit readout and statistically significant gains in over 94% of GHZ and 97% of W multi-qubit experiments.