arXiv subjects

Pranav Chandarana

Publications and source records attributed to Pranav Chandarana.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Protein folding on a 64 qubit trapped-ion hardware via counterdiabatic quantum optimization

We report the largest trapped-ion hardware demonstration of lattice protein-folding optimization to date, using bias-field digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (BF-DCQO) on a fully connected 64-qubit Barium development system similar to the forthcoming IonQ Tempo line. Six peptide sequences with 14-16 amino-acid residues are encoded using a coarse-grained tetrahedral lattice model, yielding higher-order spin-glass Hamiltonians with long-range interactions involving up to five-body terms and mapped to 46-61 qubits. The resulting instances are demanding for near-term quantum hardware because low-energy configurations must satisfy backbone-geometry constraints while optimizing dense residue-contact interactions. BF-DCQO uses a non-variational bias-feedback mechanism, where low-energy samples from each round define longitudinal fields that guide subsequent quantum evolutions. Across the studied instances, BF-DCQO shifts raw sampled energy distributions toward lower energies than uniform random sampling, with the strongest improvements appearing in residue-contact variables. To preserve this signal, we introduce a consensus-based post-processing pipeline that combines quantum-learned contact information with feasible backbone geometries. The resulting hybrid workflow reaches the classical reference energy in multiple instances and improves over the corresponding random-seeded pipeline. These results show that BF-DCQO can generate structured samples for dense protein-folding Hamiltonians at previously unexplored trapped-ion scales.

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arXiv2026

Digitized counterdiabatic quantum critical dynamics

We experimentally demonstrate that a digitized counterdiabatic quantum protocol reduces the number of topological defects created during a fast quench across a quantum phase transition. To show this, we perform quantum simulations of one- and two-dimensional transverse-field Ising models driven from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic phase. We utilize superconducting cloud-based quantum processors with up to 156 qubits. Our data reveal that the digitized counterdiabatic protocol reduces defect formation by up to 48% in the fast-quench regime -- an improvement hard to achieve through digitized quantum annealing under current noise levels. The experimental results closely match theoretical and numerical predictions at short evolution times, before deviating at longer times due to hardware noise. In one dimension, we derive an analytic solution for the defect number distribution in the fast-quench limit. For two-dimensional geometries, where analytical solutions are unknown and numerical simulations are challenging, we use advanced matrix-product-state methods. Our findings indicate a practical way to control the topological defect formation during fast quenches and highlight the utility of counterdiabatic protocols for quantum optimization and quantum simulation in material design on current quantum processors.

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arXiv2026

The Quest for Quantum Advantage in Combinatorial Optimization: End-to-end Benchmarking of Quantum Solvers vs. Multi-core Classical Solvers

We perform an end-to-end benchmark of a hybrid sequential quantum computing (HSQC) solver for higher-order unconstrained binary optimization (HUBO), executed on IBM Heron r3 quantum processors to evaluate the potential of current quantum hardware for combinatorial optimization with sub-second end-to-end runtimes. All reported runtimes include the complete pipeline--from preprocessing to QPU execution and postprocessing--under strict wall-clock accounting. Across 20 benchmark instances, a single hybrid attempt produces high-quality solutions in less than one second, matching the ground-state energy in 14 cases. At the same runtime, CPU-based solvers, including simulated annealing, memetic tabu search, and EasySolve, do not reach the value obtained by HSQC, whereas an enhanced parallel tempering method and the GPU-accelerated solver ABS3 reach or surpass it. These results show that HSQC, executed on a single QPU, can achieve performance competitive with strong classical solvers running on 128 vCPUs or 8 NVIDIA A100 GPUs, while also providing a reproducible system-level benchmark for tracking progress as quantum hardware and hybrid sequential workflows improve.

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arXiv2026

Large-scale portfolio optimization on a trapped-ion quantum computer

We present an end-to-end pipeline for large-scale portfolio selection with cardinality constraints and experimentally demonstrate it on trapped-ion quantum processors using hardware-aware decomposition. Building on RMT-based correlation-matrix denoising and community detection, we identify correlated asset groups and introduce a correlation-guided greedy splitting scheme that caps each cluster by the executable qubit budget. Each cluster defines a hardware-embeddable QUBO subproblem that we solve using bias-field digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (BF-DCQO), a non-variational method that avoids classical parameter-training loops. We recombine low-energy candidates into global portfolios and enforce feasibility with a two-stage post-processing routine: fast repair followed by a cardinality-preserving swap local search. We benchmark the workflow on a 250-asset universe taken from the S&P 500 and execute subproblems on a 64-qubit Barium development system similar to the forthcoming IonQ Tempo line. We observe that larger executable subproblem sizes reduce decomposition error and systematically improve final objective values and risk-return trade-offs relative to randomized baselines under identical post-processing. Overall, the results establish a hardware-tested route for scaling financial optimization problems, defined by a trade space in which executable problem size and circuit cost are balanced against the resulting solution quality.

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arXiv2025

Scaling advantage with quantum-enhanced memetic tabu search for LABS

We introduce quantum-enhanced memetic tabu search (QE-MTS), a non-variational hybrid algorithm that achieves state-of-the-art scaling for the low-autocorrelation binary sequence (LABS) problem. By seeding the classical MTS with high-quality initial states from digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (DCQO), our method suppresses the empirical time-to-solution scaling to $\mathcal{O}(1.24^N)$ for sequence length $N \in [27,37]$. This scaling surpasses the best-known classical heuristic $\mathcal{O}(1.34^N)$ and improves upon the $\mathcal{O}(1.46^N)$ of the quantum approximate optimization algorithm, achieving superior performance with a $6\times$ reduction in circuit depth. A two-stage bootstrap analysis confirms the scaling advantage and projects a crossover point at $N \gtrsim 47$, beyond which QE-MTS outperforms its classical counterpart. These results provide evidence that quantum enhancement can directly improve the scaling of classical optimization algorithms for the paradigmatic LABS problem.

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arXiv2025

Digitized Counterdiabatic Quantum Sampling

We propose digitized counterdiabatic quantum sampling (DCQS), a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm for efficient sampling from energy-based models, such as low-temperature Boltzmann distributions. The method utilizes counterdiabatic protocols, which suppress non-adiabatic transitions, with an iterative bias-field procedure that progressively steers the sampling toward low-energy regions. We observe that the samples obtained at each iteration correspond to approximate Boltzmann distributions at effective temperatures. By aggregating these samples and applying classical reweighting, the method reconstructs the Boltzmann distribution at a desired temperature. We define a scalable performance metric, based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence and the total variation distance, to quantify convergence toward the exact Boltzmann distribution. DCQS is validated on one-dimensional Ising models with random couplings up to 124 qubits, where exact results are available through transfer-matrix methods. We then apply it to a higher-order spin-glass Hamiltonian with 156 qubits executed on IBM quantum processors. We show that classical sampling algorithms, including Metropolis-Hastings and the state-of-the-art low-temperature technique parallel tempering, require up to three orders of magnitude more samples to match the quality of DCQS, corresponding to an approximately 2x runtime advantage. Boltzmann sampling underlies applications ranging from statistical physics to machine learning, yet classical algorithms exhibit exponentially slow convergence at low temperatures. Our results thus demonstrate a robust route toward scalable and efficient Boltzmann sampling on current quantum processors.

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arXiv2025

Hybrid Sequential Quantum Computing

We introduce hybrid sequential quantum computing (HSQC), a paradigm for combinatorial optimization that systematically integrates classical and quantum methods within a structured, stage-wise workflow. HSQC may involve an arbitrary sequence of classical and quantum processes, as long as the global result outperforms the standalone components. Our testbed begins with classical optimizers to explore the solution landscape, followed by quantum optimization to refine candidate solutions, and concludes with classical solvers to recover nearby or exact-optimal states. We demonstrate two instantiations: (i) a pipeline combining simulated annealing (SA), bias-field digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (BF-DCQO), and memetic tabu search (MTS); and (ii) a variant combining SA, BF-DCQO, and a second round of SA. This workflow design is motivated by the complementary strengths of each component. Classical heuristics efficiently find low-energy configurations, but often get trapped in local minima. BF-DCQO exploits quantum resources to tunnel through these barriers and improve solution quality. Due to decoherence and approximations, BF-DCQO may not always yield optimal results. Thus, the best quantum-enhanced state is used to continue with a final classical refinement stage. Applied to challenging higher-order unconstrained binary optimization (HUBO) problems on a 156-qubit heavy-hexagonal superconducting quantum processor, we show that HSQC consistently recovers ground-state solutions in just a few seconds. Compared to standalone classical solvers, HSQC achieves a speedup of up to 700 times over SA and up to 9 times over MTS in estimated runtimes. These results demonstrate that HSQC provides a flexible and scalable framework capable of delivering up to two orders of magnitude improvement at runtime quantum-advantage level on advanced commercial quantum processors.

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arXiv2025

Runtime Quantum Advantage with Digital Quantum Optimization

We demonstrate experimentally that the bias-field digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (BF-DCQO) algorithm on IBM's 156-qubit devices can outperform simulated annealing (SA) and CPLEX in time-to-approximate solutions for specific higher-order unconstrained binary optimization (HUBO) problems. We suitably select problem instances that are challenging for classical methods, running in fractions of minutes even with multicore processors. On the other hand, our counterdiabatic quantum algorithms obtain similar or better results in at most a few seconds on quantum hardware, achieving runtime quantum advantage. Our analysis reveals that the performance improvement becomes increasingly evident as the system size grows. Given the rapid progress in quantum hardware, we expect that this improvement will become even more pronounced, potentially leading to a quantum advantage of several orders of magnitude. Our results indicate that available digital quantum processors, when combined with specific-purpose quantum algorithms, exhibit a runtime quantum advantage even in the absence of quantum error correction.

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arXiv2025

Quantum Chaos in Random Ising Networks

We report a systematic investigation of universal quantum chaotic signatures in the transverse field Ising model on an Erdős-Rényi network. This is achieved by studying local spectral measures such as the level spacing and the level velocity statistics. A spectral form factor analysis is also performed as a global measure, probing energy level correlations at arbitrary spectral distances. Our findings show that these measures capture the breakdown of chaotic behavior upon varying the connectivity and strength of the transverse field in various regimes. We demonstrate that the level spacing statistics and the spectral form factor signal this breakdown for sparsely and densely connected networks. The velocity statistics capture the surviving chaotic signatures in the sparse limit. However, these integrable-like regimes extend over a vanishingly small segment in the full range of connectivity.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2024

Symmetry-enhanced Counterdiabatic Quantum Algorithm for Qudits

Qubit-based variational quantum algorithms have undergone rapid development in recent years but still face several challenges. In this context, we propose a symmetry-enhanced digitized counterdiabatic quantum algorithm utilizing qudits instead of qubits. This approach offers three types of compression as compared to with respect to conventional variational circuits. First, compression in the circuit depth is achieved by counterdiabatic protocols. Second, information about the problem is compressed by replacing qubits with qudits, allowing for a more efficient representation of the problem. Lastly, the number of parameters is reduced by employing the symmetries of the system. We illustrate this approach by tackling a graph-based optimization problem Max-3-Cut and a highly-entangled state preparation, the qutrit W state. As our numerical results show, we achieve a better convergence with a lower circuit depth and less measurement overhead in all the cases considered. This work leads to a better design of shallow variational quantum circuits, improving the feasibility of their implementation on near-term qudit devices

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arXiv2024

Lyapunov Controlled Counterdiabatic Quantum Optimization

We introduce a quantum algorithm integrating counterdiabatic (CD) protocols with quantum Lyapunov control (QLC) to tackle combinatorial optimization problems. This approach offers versatility, allowing implementation as either a digital-analog or purely digital algorithm based on selected control strategies. By examining spin-glass Hamiltonians, we illustrate how the algorithm can explore alternative paths to enhance solution outcomes compared to conventional CD techniques. This method reduces the dependence on extensive higher-order CD terms and classical optimization techniques, rendering it more suitable for existing quantum computing platforms. The combination of digital compression via CD protocols and the adaptable nature of QLC methods positions this approach as a promising candidate for near-term quantum computing.

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arXiv2024

Benchmarking hybrid digitized-counterdiabatic quantum optimization

Hybrid digitized-counterdiabatic quantum computing (DCQC) is a promising approach for leveraging the capabilities of near-term quantum computers, utilizing parameterized quantum circuits designed with counterdiabatic protocols. However, the classical aspect of this approach has received limited attention. In this study, we systematically analyze the convergence behavior and solution quality of various classical optimizers when used in conjunction with the digitized-counterdiabatic approach. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this hybrid algorithm by comparing its performance to the traditional QAOA on systems containing up to 28 qubits. Furthermore, we employ principal component analysis to investigate the cost landscape and explore the crucial influence of parameterization on the performance of the counterdiabatic ansatz. Our findings indicate that fewer iterations are required when local cost landscape minima are present, and the SPSA-based BFGS optimizer emerges as a standout choice for the hybrid DCQC paradigm.

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arXiv2023

Photonic counterdiabatic quantum optimization algorithm

We propose a hybrid quantum-classical approximate optimization algorithm for photonic quantum computing, specifically tailored for addressing continuous-variable optimization problems. Inspired by counterdiabatic protocols, our algorithm significantly reduces the required quantum operations for optimization as compared to adiabatic protocols. This reduction enables us to tackle non-convex continuous optimization and countably infinite integer programming within the near-term era of quantum computing. Through comprehensive benchmarking, we demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing state-of-the-art hybrid adiabatic quantum algorithms in terms of convergence and implementability. Remarkably, our algorithm offers a practical and accessible experimental realization, bypassing the need for high-order operations and overcoming experimental constraints. We conduct proof-of-principle experiments on an eight-mode nanophotonic quantum chip, successfully showcasing the feasibility and potential impact of the algorithm.

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arXiv2022

Digitized-Counterdiabatic Quantum Algorithm for Protein Folding

We propose a hybrid classical-quantum digitized-counterdiabatic algorithm to tackle the protein folding problem on a tetrahedral lattice. Digitized-counterdiabatic quantum computing is a paradigm developed to compress quantum algorithms via the digitization of the counterdiabatic acceleration of a given adiabatic quantum computation. Finding the lowest energy configuration of the amino acid sequence is an NP-hard optimization problem that plays a prominent role in chemistry, biology, and drug design. We outperform state-of-the-art quantum algorithms using problem-inspired and hardware-efficient variational quantum circuits. We apply our method to proteins with up to 9 amino acids, using up to 17 qubits on quantum hardware. Specifically, we benchmark our quantum algorithm with Quantinuum's trapped ions, Google's and IBM's superconducting circuits, obtaining high success probabilities with low-depth circuits as required in the NISQ era.

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arXiv2022

Optimizing Counterdiabaticity by Variational Quantum Circuits

Utilizing counterdiabatic (CD) driving - aiming at suppression of diabatic transition - in digitized adiabatic evolution have garnered immense interest in quantum protocols and algorithms. However, improving the approximate CD terms with a nested commutator ansatz is a challenging task. In this work, we propose a technique of finding optimal coefficients of the CD terms using a variational quantum circuit. By classical optimizations routines, the parameters of this circuit are optimized to provide the coefficients corresponding to the CD terms. Then their improved performance is exemplified in Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state preparation on nearest-neighbor Ising model. Finally, we also show the advantage over the usual quantum approximation optimization algorithm, in terms of fidelity with bounded time.

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arXiv2022

Meta-Learning Digitized-Counterdiabatic Quantum Optimization

Solving optimization tasks using variational quantum algorithms has emerged as a crucial application of the current noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. However, these algorithms face several difficulties like finding suitable ansatz and appropriate initial parameters, among others. In this work, we tackle the problem of finding suitable initial parameters for variational optimization by employing a meta-learning technique using recurrent neural networks. We investigate this technique with the recently proposed digitized-counterdiabatic quantum approximate optimization algorithm (DC-QAOA) that utilizes counterdiabatic protocols to improve the state-of-the-art QAOA. The combination of meta learning and DC-QAOA enables us to find optimal initial parameters for different models, such as MaxCut problem and the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model. Decreasing the number of iterations of optimization as well as enhancing the performance, our protocol designs short depth circuit ansatz with optimal initial parameters by incorporating shortcuts-to-adiabaticity principles into machine learning methods for the near-term devices.

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