Digitized-counterdiabatic quantum approximate optimization algorithm

Abstract

The quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) has proved to be an effective classical-quantum algorithm serving multiple purposes, from solving combinatorial optimization problems to finding the ground state of many-body quantum systems. Since the QAOA is an Ansatz-dependent algorithm, there is always a need to design Ansätze for better optimization. To this end, we propose a digitized version of the QAOA enhanced via the use of shortcuts to adiabaticity. Specifically, we use a counterdiabatic (CD) driving term to design a better Ansatz, along with the Hamiltonian and mixing terms, enhancing the global performance. We apply our digitized-CD QAOA to Ising models, classical optimization problems, and the P-spin model, demonstrating that it outperforms the standard QAOA in all cases we study.