Surrogate optimization of variational quantum circuits

Journal Article · Tue Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Proc.Nat.Acad.Sci.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2408530122· OSTI ID:2349026

Gustafson, Erik J. ^[1]; Tiihonen, Juha ^[2]; Chamaki, Diana ^[3]; Sorourifar, Farshud ^[4]; Mullinax, J. Wayne ^[5]; Li, Andy C.Y. ^[6]; Maciejewski, Filip B. ^[7]; Sawaya, Nicolas Pd ^[8]; Krogel, Jaron T. ^[9]; Neira, David Bernal ^[10]; Tubman, Norm M. ^[5]

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1. RIACS, Mtn. View
2. Jyvaskyla U.
3. Columbia U.
4. RIACS, Mtn. View; Cornell U., Lab, Plasma Studies
5. NASA, Ames
6. Fermilab
7. RIACS, Mtn. View; NASA, Ames
8. Unlisted, CN; San Francisco State U.
9. ORNL, Oak Ridge (main)
10. RIACS, Mtn. View; Davidson Coll.

Variational quantum eigensolvers are touted as a near-term algorithm capable of impacting many applications. However, the potential has not yet been realized, with few claims of quantum advantage and high resource estimates, especially due to the need for optimization in the presence of noise. Finding algorithms and methods to improve convergence is important to accelerate the capabilities of near-term hardware for VQE or more broad applications of hybrid methods in which optimization is required. To this goal, we look to use modern approaches developed in circuit simulations and stochastic classical optimization, which can be combined to form a surrogate optimization approach to quantum circuits. Using an approximate (classical CPU/GPU) state vector simulator as a surrogate model, we efficiently calculate an approximate Hessian, passed as an input for a quantum processing unit or exact circuit simulator. This method will lend itself well to parallelization across quantum processing units. We demonstrate the capabilities of such an approach with and without sampling noise and a proof-of-principle demonstration on a quantum processing unit utilizing 40 qubits.

• Research Organization: Davidson Coll.; Jyvaskyla U.; San Francisco State U.; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Unlisted, CN; Columbia U.; Cornell U., Lab, Plasma Studies; NASA, Ames; RIACS, Mtn. View
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: 89243024CSC000002
• OSTI ID: 2349026
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-PUB-24-0164-PPD; oai:inspirehep.net:2774191; arXiv:2404.02951
• Journal Information: Proc.Nat.Acad.Sci., Journal Name: Proc.Nat.Acad.Sci. Journal Issue: 36 Vol. 122
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English