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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Quantum annealers offer a novel approach to solve combinatorial optimization problems. The D-Wave system is the first commercially available quantum annealer, with a current processor composed of 1,152 qubits. Quantum effects have been shown to be present in this device, and I will discuss one of the experiments that proved the presence of entanglement, which is believed to be a pre-requisite to expect any type of quantum advantage. On the other hand, engineering compromises always impose limitations on this kind of devices. The most common limitations are on size and connectivity. The D-Wave processor is no exception, where a fixed number of qubits with a restricted connectivity graph are used to solve particular instances of the Ising model. I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of several approaches designed to extend the applicability of this device to larger, more connected optimization problems.
Host: Diego Dalvit