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The Effects of Conditional Pooling Techniques in Quanvolutional Circuits of Quantum-Classical Hybrid Neural Networks

Robin Faier, Jeanette Miriam Lorenz, Hans Ehm

Published Jun 2, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper explores the performance of quantum-classical hybrid networks in image classification tasks, focusing on the integration of quantum circuits as alternative feature extractors to traditional convolutional layers. Specifically, it investigates the use of quanvolutional layers, variational quantum circuits that leverage quantum entanglement and quantum gates, in comparison to classical layers. The study examines various quantum pooling techniques, including conditional entanglement gates, and their impact on classification accuracy across datasets with varying complexity. By experimenting with different pooling strategies, both parametrized and non-parametrized, this work assesses their influence on network performance and feature representation. Results indicate that quanvolutional layers in a hybrid network consistently outperform classical convolutional layers in terms of classification accuracy, particularly when applied to datasets with prominent features. Additionally, the findings suggest that quantum entanglement techniques, rather than rotation parameters, play a more significant role in enhancing performance. This paper concludes that quantum-classical hybrid networks offer a promising approach for feature extraction, although the optimal configuration of pooling methods depends on the characteristics of the data. Future research could further explore the interplay between quantum circuits and different pooling strategies for more effective feature representation.

DOI
10.24406/h-517448

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This paper explores the performance of quantum-classical hybrid networks in image classification tasks, focusing on the integration of quantum circuits as alternative feature extractors to traditional convolutional layers. Specifically, it investigates the use of quanvolutional layers, variational quantum circuits that leverage quantum entanglement and quantum gates, in comparison to classical layers. The study examines various quantum pooling techniques, including conditional entanglement gates, and their impact on classification accuracy across datasets with varying complexity. By experimenting with different pooling strategies, both parametrized and non-parametrized, this work assesses their influence on network performance and feature representation. Results indicate that quanvolutional layers in a hybrid network consistently outperform classical convolutional layers in terms of classification accuracy, particularly when applied to datasets with prominent features. Additionally, the findings suggest that quantum entanglement techniques, rather than rotation parameters, play a more significant role in enhancing performance. This paper concludes that quantum-classical hybrid networks offer a promising approach for feature extraction, although the optimal configuration of pooling methods depends on the characteristics of the data. Future research could further explore the interplay between quantum circuits and different pooling strategies for more effective feature representation.
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Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are extensively employed for tasks such as image processing, employing a hierarchical feature extraction approach facilitated by convolutional layers. A recent trend explores quantum counterparts called Quanvolutional layers, utilizing random quantum circuits akin to convolutional filter layers. Our work advances this by introducing structured entanglement in quanvolutional layers using Basic and Strongly Entangled Layers. Unlike random circuit approaches, these layers have defined structures and high entanglement, requiring minimal error correction. We evaluated their performance on MNIST dataset, comparing various techniques like traditional CNNs, Quanvolutional Neural Networks (QNNs) with Random quantum circuits, basic entangled layers, strongly entangled layers. Structured entanglement shows promise in improving feature extraction for QNNs, providing insights into their understanding. Our work explores the use of structures quantum layers in constructing quantum-classical hybrid architectures and evaluates their performance. Future research may explore scalability and applicability in complex datasets and integration with other quantum computing techniques for enhanced performance and versatility.
The integration of quantum computing principles with classical deep learning architectures has emerged as a promising direction for advancing image recognition systems beyond the limitations of purely classical convolutional neural networks (CNNs). This study proposes and analyzes a hybrid quantum–classical deep learning framework based on quanvolutional neural network (QNN) principles, where quantum circuits are embedded within convolutional feature extraction layers to enhance representation capability. The research investigates how quantum-enhanced filters, particularly quanvolutional layers, contribute to improved feature diversity, non-linear transformation capacity, and classification accuracy in image recognition tasks. Building upon established convolutional architectures and quantum machine learning theories, the proposed framework integrates quantum random circuit encoding with classical deep neural networks to evaluate performance gains in comparison to conventional CNN models. The study further incorporates theoretical insights from hybrid quantum-classical learning systems, emphasizing the role of parameterized quantum circuits in feature mapping and optimization stability. The methodology is grounded in NISQ-era quantum computing constraints and leverages hybrid optimization strategies to ensure computational feasibility. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that quanvolution-based models can provide improved robustness in feature extraction, particularly in high-dimensional image spaces, while maintaining competitive computational efficiency. However, scalability limitations and noise sensitivity in quantum circuits remain key challenges. Overall, this work contributes to the growing field of quantum-enhanced machine learning by providing a structured performance analysis of hybrid quanvolutional architectures and highlighting their potential role in next-generation intelligent visual recognition systems.
Quantum machine learning has received significant interest in recent years, with theoretical studies showing that quantum variants of classical machine learning algorithms can provide good generalization from small training data sizes. However, there are notably no strong theoretical insights about what makes a quantum circuit design better than another, and comparative studies between quantum equivalents have not been done for every type of classical layers or techniques crucial for classical machine learning. Particularly, the pooling layer within convolutional neural networks is a fundamental operation left to explore. Pooling mechanisms significantly improve the performance of classical machine learning algorithms by playing a key role in reducing input dimensionality and extracting clean features from the input data. In this work, an in-depth study of pooling techniques in hybrid quantum-classical convolutional neural networks (QCCNNs) for classifying 2D medical images is performed. The performance of four different quantum and hybrid pooling techniques is studied: mid-circuit measurements, ancilla qubits with controlled gates, modular quantum pooling blocks and qubit selection with classical postprocessing. We find similar or better performance in comparison to an equivalent classical model and QCCNN without pooling and conclude that it is promising to study architectural choices in QCCNNs in more depth for future applications.
Quantum machine learning has received significant interest in recent years, with theoretical studies showing that quantum variants of classical machine learning algorithms can provide good generalization from small training data sizes. However, there are notably no strong theoretical insights about what makes a quantum circuit design better than another, and comparative studies between quantum equivalents have not been done for every type of classical layers or techniques crucial for classical machine learning. Particularly, the pooling layer within convolutional neural networks is a fundamental operation left to explore. Pooling mechanisms significantly improve the performance of classical machine learning algorithms by playing a key role in reducing input dimensionality and extracting clean features from the input data. In this work, an in-depth study of pooling techniques in hybrid quantum-classical convolutional neural networks (QCCNNs) for classifying 2D medical images is performed. The performance of four different quantum and hybrid pooling techniques is studied: mid-circuit measurements, ancilla qubits with controlled gates, modular quantum pooling blocks and qubit selection with classical postprocessing. We find similar or better performance in comparison to an equivalent classical model and QCCNN without pooling and conclude that it is promising to study architectural choices in QCCNNs in more depth for future applications.
The article focuses on studying the effectiveness of two different Hybrid Neural Networks (HNNs) architectures for solving real-world image classification problems. The first approach investigated in the research is a hybridization technique that allows creation of HNN based on a classical neural network by replacing a number of hidden layers of the neural network with a variational quantum circuit, which allows to reduce the complexity of the classical part of the neural network and move part of computations to a quantum device. The second approach is a hybridization technique based on utilizing quanvolutional operations for image processing as the first quantum convolutional layer of the hybrid neural network, thus building a Quanvolutional Neural Network (QNN). QNN leverages quantum phenomena to facilitate feature extraction, enabling the model to achieve higher accuracy metrics than its classical counterpart. The effectiveness of both architectures was tested on several image classification problems. The first one is a classical image classification problem of CIFAR10 images classification, widely used as a benchmark for various imagery-related tasks. Another problem used for the effectiveness study is the problem of geospatial data analysis. The second problem represents a real-world use case where quantum computing utilization can be very fruitful in the future. For studying the effectiveness, several models were assembled: HNN with a quantum device that replaces one of the hidden layers of the neural network, QNN based on quanvolutional operation and utilizes VGG-16 architecture as a classical part of the model, and also an unmodified VGG-16 was used as a reference model. Experiments were conducted to measure the models' key efficiency metrics: maximal accuracy, complexity of a quantum part of the model and complexity of a classical part of the model. The results of the research indicated the feasibility of both approaches for solving both proposed image classification problems. Results were analyzed to outline the advantages and disadvantages of every approach in terms of selected key metrics. Experiments showed that QNN architectures proved to be a feasible and effective solution for critical practical tasks requiring higher levels of model prediction accuracy and, simultaneously, can tolerate higher processing time and significantly increased costs due to a high number of quantum operations required. Also, the results of the experiments indicated that HNN architectures proved to be a feasible solution for time-critical practical tasks that require higher processing speed and can tolerate slightly decreased accuracy of model predictions.