An Introduction to the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm

Fuente: arXiv
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Autore principale: Giovagnoli, Alessandro
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Giovagnoli, Alessandro
author_facet Giovagnoli, Alessandro
contents The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a promising variational quantum algorithm introduced to tackle classically intractable combinatorial optimization problems. This tutorial offers a comprehensive, first-principles introduction to QAOA and its properties, focusing on its application to Quadratic and Polynomial Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO and PUBO) problems. The tutorial begins by outlining variational quantum circuits and QUBO problems, focusing on their key properties and the encoding of problem constraints through quadratic penalty terms. Next, it explores the QAOA in detail, covering its Hamiltonian formulation, gate decomposition, and example applications, along with their implementation and performance results. This is followed by an analysis of the algorithm's energy landscape, where proofs are provided for its symmetry and periodicity, and where a resulting parameter space reduction is proposed. Finally, the tutorial extends these concepts to PUBO problems by generalizing the results to higher-order Hamiltonians and discussing the associated symmetries and circuit construction.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_18377
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle An Introduction to the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm
Giovagnoli, Alessandro
Quantum Physics
The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a promising variational quantum algorithm introduced to tackle classically intractable combinatorial optimization problems. This tutorial offers a comprehensive, first-principles introduction to QAOA and its properties, focusing on its application to Quadratic and Polynomial Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO and PUBO) problems. The tutorial begins by outlining variational quantum circuits and QUBO problems, focusing on their key properties and the encoding of problem constraints through quadratic penalty terms. Next, it explores the QAOA in detail, covering its Hamiltonian formulation, gate decomposition, and example applications, along with their implementation and performance results. This is followed by an analysis of the algorithm's energy landscape, where proofs are provided for its symmetry and periodicity, and where a resulting parameter space reduction is proposed. Finally, the tutorial extends these concepts to PUBO problems by generalizing the results to higher-order Hamiltonians and discussing the associated symmetries and circuit construction.
title An Introduction to the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.18377