QUBO Refinement: Achieving Superior Precision through Iterative Quantum Formulation with Limited Qubits

Abstract

In the era of quantum computing, the emergence of quantum computers and subsequent advancements have led to the development of various quantum algorithms capable of solving linear equations and eigenvalues, surpassing the pace of classical computers. Notably, the hybrid solver provided by the D-wave system can leverage up to two million variables. By exploiting this technology, quantum optimization models based on quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) have been proposed for applications, such as linear systems, eigenvalue problems, RSA cryptosystems, and CT image reconstruction. The formulation of QUBO typically involves straightforward arithmetic operations, presenting significant potential for future advancements as quantum computers continue to evolve. A prevalent approach in these developments is the binarization of variables and their mapping to multiple qubits. These methods increase the required number of qubits as the range and precision of each variable increase. Determining the optimal value of a QUBO model becomes more challenging as the number of qubits increases. Furthermore, the accuracies of the existing Qiskit simulator, D-Wave system simulator, and hybrid solver are limited to two decimal places. Problems arise because the qubits yielding the optimal value for the QUBO model may not necessarily correspond to the solution of a given problem. To address these issues, we propose a new iterative algorithm. The novel algorithm sequentially progresses from the highest to the lowest exponent in binarizing each number, whereby each number is calculated using two variables, and the accuracy can be computed up to a maximum of 16 decimal places.