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DOE OSTI · 1369141

Ising Processing Units: Potential and Challenges for Discrete Optimization

Coffrin, Carleton James·Nagarajan, Harsha·Bent, Russell Whitford
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Abstract

The recent emergence of novel computational devices, such as adiabatic quantum computers, CMOS annealers, and optical parametric oscillators, presents new opportunities for hybrid-optimization algorithms that leverage these kinds of specialized hardware. In this work, we propose the idea of an Ising processing unit as a computational abstraction for these emerging tools. Challenges involved in using and bench- marking these devices are presented, and open-source software tools are proposed to address some of these challenges. The proposed benchmarking tools and methodology are demonstrated by conducting a baseline study of established solution methods to a D-Wave 2X adiabatic quantum computer, one example of a commercially available Ising processing unit.

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Coffrin, Carleton James, Nagarajan, Harsha, Bent, Russell Whitford. 2017-07-05. Ising Processing Units: Potential and Challenges for Discrete Optimization. https://doi.org/10.2172/1369141

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