Pruned-ADAPT-VQE: compacting molecular ans\"atze by removing irrelevant operators

Abstract

The adaptive derivative-assembled problem-tailored variational quantum eigensolver (ADAPT-VQE) is one of the most widely used algorithms for electronic structure calculations in quantum computers. It adaptively selects operators based on their gradient, constructing ans\"atze that continuously evolve to match the energy landscape, helping avoid local traps and barren plateaus. However, this flexibility in reoptimization can lead to the inclusion of redundant or inefficient operators that have almost zero parameter value, barely contributing to the ansatz. We identify three phenomena responsible for the appearance of these operators: poor operator selection, operator reordering, and fading operators. In this work, we propose an automated, cost-free refinement method that removes unnecessary operators from the ansatz without disrupting convergence. Our approach evaluates each operator after ADAPT-VQE optimization by using a function that considers both its parameter value and position in the ansatz, striking a balance between eliminating low-coefficient operators while preserving the natural reduction of coefficients as the ansatz grows. Additionally, a dynamic threshold based on the parameters of recent operators enables efficient convergence. We apply this method to several molecular systems and find that it reduces ansatz size and accelerates convergence, particularly in cases with flat energy landscapes. The refinement process incurs, at most, a small additional computational cost and consistently improves or maintains ADAPT-VQE performance.