Variational Quantum Eigensolver: A Comparative Analysis of Classical and Quantum Optimization Methods

Abstract: In this study, we study the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) application for the Ising model as a test bed model, in which we pivotally delved into several optimization methods, both classical and quantum, and analyzed the quantum advantage that each of these methods offered, and then we proposed a new combinatorial optimization scheme, deemed as QN-SPSA+PSR which combines calculating approximately Fubini-study metric (QN-SPSA) and the exact evaluation of gradient by Parameter-Shift Rule (PSR). The QN-SPSA+PSR method integrates the QN-SPSA computational efficiency with the precise gradient computation of the PSR, improving both stability and convergence speed while maintaining low computational consumption. Our results provide a new potential quantum supremacy in the VQAs's optimization subroutine, even in Quantum Machine Learning's optimization section, and enhance viable paths toward efficient quantum simulations on Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum Computing (NISQ) devices. Additionally, we also conducted a detailed study of quantum circuit ansatz structures in order to find the one that would work best with the Ising model and NISQ, in which we utilized the properties of the investigated model.