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arXiv:2308.10765 · Journal of the Physical Society of Japan

Hybrid Algorithm of Linear Programming Relaxation and Quantum Annealing

Taisei Takabayashi, Masayuki Ohzeki

Published Feb 5, 2024• 7 citations
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Abstract

The demand for classical-quantum hybrid algorithms to solve large-scale combinatorial optimization problems using quantum annealing (QA) has increased. One approach involves obtaining an approximate solution using classical algorithms and refining it using QA. In previous studies, such variables were determined using molecular dynamics (MD) as a continuous optimization method. We propose a method that uses the simple continuous relaxation technique called linear programming (LP) relaxation. Our method demonstrated superiority through comparative experiments with the minimum vertex cover problem versus the previous MD-based approach. Furthermore, the hybrid approach of LP relaxation and simulated annealing showed advantages in accuracy and speed compared to solving with simulated annealing alone.

DOI
10.7566/jpsj.93.034001

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The demand for classical-quantum hybrid algorithms to solve large-scale combinatorial optimization problems using quantum annealing (QA) has increased. One approach involves obtaining an approximate solution using classical algorithms and refining it using QA. In previous studies, such variables were determined using molecular dynamics (MD) as a continuous optimization method. We propose a method that uses the simple continuous relaxation technique called linear programming (LP) relaxation. Our method demonstrated superiority through comparative experiments with the minimum vertex cover problem versus the previous MD-based approach. Furthermore, the hybrid approach of LP relaxation and simulated annealing showed advantages in accuracy and speed compared to solving with simulated annealing alone.
Quantum annealing (QA) has the potential to significantly improve solution quality and reduce time complexity in solving combinatorial optimization problems compared to classical optimization methods. However, due to the limited number of qubits and their connectivity, the QA hardware did not show such an advantage over classical methods in past benchmarking studies. Recent advancements in QA with more than 5000 qubits, enhanced qubit connectivity, and the hybrid architecture promise to realize the quantum advantage. Here, we use a quantum annealer with state-of-the-art techniques and benchmark its performance against classical solvers. To compare their performance, we solve over 50 optimization problem instances represented by large and dense Hamiltonian matrices using quantum and classical solvers. The results demonstrate that a state-of-the-art quantum solver has higher accuracy (~0.013%) and a significantly faster problem-solving time (~6561×) than the best classical solver. Our results highlight the advantages of leveraging QA over classical counterparts, particularly in hybrid configurations, for achieving high accuracy and substantially reduced problem solving time in large-scale real-world optimization problems.
A novel quantum-classical hybrid scheme is proposed to efficiently solve large-scale combinatorial optimization problems. The key concept is to introduce a Hamiltonian dynamics of the classical flux variables associated with the quantum spins of the transverse-field Ising model. Molecular dynamics of the classical fluxes can be used as a powerful preconditioner to sort out the frozen and ambivalent spins for quantum annealers. The performance and accuracy of our smooth hybridization in comparison to the standard classical algorithms (the tabu search and the simulated annealing) are demonstrated by employing the MAX-CUT and Ising spin-glass problems.
Ising machines have the potential to realize fast and highly accurate solvers for combinatorial optimization problems. They are classified based on their internal algorithms. Examples include simulated-annealing-based Ising machines (non-quantum-type Ising machines) and quantum-annealing-based Ising machines (quantum annealers). Herein we propose a hybrid optimization method, which utilizes the advantages of both types. In this hybrid optimization method, the preprocessing step is performed by solving the non-quantum-annealing Ising machine multiple times. Then sub-Ising models with a reduced size by spin fixing are solved using a quantum annealer. The performance of the hybrid optimization method is evaluated via simulations using Simulated Annealing (SA) as a non-quantum-type Ising machine and D-Wave Advantage as a quantum annealer. Additionally, we investigate the parameter dependence of the proposed hybrid optimization method. The hybrid optimization method outperforms the preprocessing SA and the quantum annealing machine alone in fully connected random Ising models.
A combinatorial optimization problem is the problem of minimizing the energy function among many combinations of variables, which is often difficult to solve with conventional classical computers. Recently, Ising machines, including quantum annealers, have gained attention as a promising architecture for efficiently solving combinatorial optimization problems. Among various methods for solving such problems using Ising machines, one prominent approach is the three-stage annealing method. The approach effectively solves a combinatorial optimization problem, utilizing an initial solution, but it performs the annealing process only once. Repeating the annealing process several times may enhance the solution more efficiently. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid iterative annealing method that consists of an initial process using a classical computer, an annealing process using a quantum annealer, and a correction process/selection process using a classical computer. The proposed method repeats the annealing process and the correction process/selection process until the solution is sufficiently converged. In the experimental evaluations through the three types of typical combinatorial optimization problems, the proposed method shows improvements by up to 54.0% compared to the three-stage annealing method.
A combinatorial optimization problem is the problem of minimizing the energy function among many combinations of variables, which is often difficult to solve with conventional classical computers. Recently, Ising machines, including quantum annealers, have gained attention as a promising architecture for efficiently solving combinatorial optimization problems. Among various methods for solving such problems using Ising machines, one prominent approach is the three-stage annealing method. The approach effectively solves a combinatorial optimization problem, utilizing an initial solution, but it performs the annealing process only once. Repeating the annealing process several times may enhance the solution more efficiently. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid iterative annealing method that consists of an initial process using a classical computer, an annealing process using a quantum annealer, and a correction process/selection process using a classical computer. The proposed method repeats the annealing process and the correction process/selection process until the solution is sufficiently converged. In the experimental evaluations through the two types of typical combinatorial optimization problems, the proposed method shows improvements by up to 50.5% compared to the three-stage annealing method.
Efficient production planning is essential in modern manufacturing to improve performance indicators such as lead time and to reduce reliance on human intuition. While mathematical optimization approaches, formulated as job shop scheduling problems, have been applied to automate this process, solving large-scale production planning problems remains computationally demanding. Moreover, many practical scenarios involve conflicting objectives, making traditional scalarization techniques ineffective in finding diverse and useful Pareto-optimal solutions. To address these challenges, we developed a quantum-classical hybrid algorithm that decomposes the problem into two subproblems: resource allocation and task scheduling. Resource allocation is formulated as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization problem and solved using annealing-based methods that efficiently explore complex solutions. Task scheduling is modeled as a mixed-integer linear programming problem and solved using conventional solvers to satisfy detailed scheduling constraints. We validated the proposed method using benchmark instances based on foundry production scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that our hybrid approach achieves superior solution quality and computational efficiency compared to traditional monolithic methods. This work offers a promising direction for high-speed, multi-objective scheduling in industrial applications.