In this work, we present a low-depth flagged syndrome extraction strategy for Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) codes of distance 3. We demonstrate that if one stabilizer generator of a distance-3 CSS code measured using the flagged circuit has and only has two distinct qubit supports with certain stabilizers of opposite types, then the number of stabilizers required for the second round of measurements can be reduced. The number of these stabilizers depends on the weight of the measured generator. This novel strategy utilizes past syndrome information and elements from the stabilizer group, enabling the implementation of a flag-FTEC protocol for distance-3 CSS codes with lower-depth syndrome extraction circuits compared to previously flag fault-tolerant protocol if the total weight of these stabilizers is less than that of stabilizer generators. Based on our strategy, we also improve the flag-FTEC protocol for cyclic CSS codes of distance 3, which requires fewer stabilizer measurements. We utilize the$[[{14,2,3}]]$CSS code,$[[{15,1,3}]]$quantum Reed-Muller code and$[[{15,7,3}]]$cyclic CSS code to demonstrate how the strategy operates. Furthermore, we also provide a low-depth flagged syndrome extraction strategy for a$[[{19,1,5}]]$CSS-type code.

The additive codes may have better parameters than linear codes. However, it is still a challenging problem to efficiently construct additive codes that outperform linear codes, especially those with greater distances than linear codes of the same lengths and dimensions. This paper focuses on constructing additive codes that outperform linear codes based on quasi-cyclic codes and combinatorial methods. Firstly, we propose a lower bound on the symplectic distance of 1-generator quasi-cyclic codes of index even. Secondly, we get many binary quasi-cyclic codes with large symplectic distances utilizing computer-supported combination and search methods, all of which correspond to good quaternary additive codes. Notably, some additive codes have greater distances than best-known quaternary linear codes in Grassl’s code table (bounds on the minimum distance of quaternary linear codeshttps://www.codetables.de) for the same lengths and dimensions. Moreover, employing a combinatorial approach, we partially determine the parameters of optimal quaternary additive 3.5-dimensional codes with lengths from 28 to 254. Finally, as an extension, we also construct some good additive complementary dual codes with larger distances than the best-known quaternary linear complementary dual codes in the literature.