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Main Authors: Langfitt, Quinn, Tate, Reuben, Eidenbenz, Stephan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.05216
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author Langfitt, Quinn
Tate, Reuben
Eidenbenz, Stephan
author_facet Langfitt, Quinn
Tate, Reuben
Eidenbenz, Stephan
contents The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a variational quantum algorithm that can be used to approximately solve combinatorial optimization problems. However, a major limitation of QAOA is that it is a "local" algorithm for finite circuit depths, meaning it can only optimize over local properties of the graph. In this paper, we present Phantom-QAOA, a new QAOA ansatz that introduces only one additional parameter to the standard ansatz -- regardless of system size -- allowing QAOA to "see" more of the graph at a given depth $p$. We achieve this by modifying the target graph to include additional $α$-weighted edges, with $α$ serving as a tunable parameter. This modified graph is then used to construct the phase operator and allows QAOA to explore a wider range of the graph's features. We derive a general formula for our new ansatz at $p=1$ and analytically show an improvement in the approximation ratio for cycle graphs. We also provide numerical experiments that demonstrate significant improvements in the approximation ratio for the Max-Cut problem over the standard QAOA ansatz for $p=1$ and $p=2$ on random regular graphs up to 16 nodes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_05216
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Phantom Edges in the Problem Hamiltonian: A Method for Increasing Performance and Graph Visibility for QAOA
Langfitt, Quinn
Tate, Reuben
Eidenbenz, Stephan
Quantum Physics
Optimization and Control
The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a variational quantum algorithm that can be used to approximately solve combinatorial optimization problems. However, a major limitation of QAOA is that it is a "local" algorithm for finite circuit depths, meaning it can only optimize over local properties of the graph. In this paper, we present Phantom-QAOA, a new QAOA ansatz that introduces only one additional parameter to the standard ansatz -- regardless of system size -- allowing QAOA to "see" more of the graph at a given depth $p$. We achieve this by modifying the target graph to include additional $α$-weighted edges, with $α$ serving as a tunable parameter. This modified graph is then used to construct the phase operator and allows QAOA to explore a wider range of the graph's features. We derive a general formula for our new ansatz at $p=1$ and analytically show an improvement in the approximation ratio for cycle graphs. We also provide numerical experiments that demonstrate significant improvements in the approximation ratio for the Max-Cut problem over the standard QAOA ansatz for $p=1$ and $p=2$ on random regular graphs up to 16 nodes.
title Phantom Edges in the Problem Hamiltonian: A Method for Increasing Performance and Graph Visibility for QAOA
topic Quantum Physics
Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.05216