Hi @I_love_quantum !
Your question is excellent as you’re starting out in quantum computing and its applications in optimization! The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a hybrid classical-quantum algorithm and can indeed be used for the vehicle routing problem. Below, I will explain in a general and simplified way how it works:
QAOA is based on Farhi’s 2014 paper (here’s the link if you’d like to read it: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1411.4028). Its goal is to approximate the solution to combinatorial optimization problems, where the aim is to find the best configuration from a large set of possible solutions. This work was originally applied to the MaxCut problem, but it can be adapted to other problems by following this process:
You start with a combinatorial optimization problem, which is a function that can be expressed in terms of 0s and 1s. For example, in the vehicle routing problem, you need an objective function where each variable is binary, either represented as a graph or as a mathematical expression, such as:
x_0 \times x_1 \times x_2 + x_2 \times x_3 +x_0 \times x_1 \times x_3
- This expression must follow the structure of a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO). If there are no constraints, penalties are added, and slack variables are used. This process is still classical (here’s a paper by Glover that explains it: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1811.11538).
- Once the mathematical expression meets the QUBO characteristics, it is transformed into an Ising model to represent the cost Hamiltonian. Here, each variable is a qubit, and the connections between them are replaced with Pauli I or Z gates. If there is a connection, it’s Z; if there isn’t, it’s I. For example, the previous expression would become:
ZZZI+IIZZ+ZZIZ
Next, variational or parametric quantum circuits are used to generate the cost Hamiltonian, which represents the optimization problem you are trying to solve, such as minimizing the total distance in a vehicle routing problem. The mixing Hamiltonian is also used, allowing the system to explore different configurations.
The algorithm alternates between applying these two Hamiltonians in a controlled way. Essentially, the circuit moves the system through potential solutions by adjusting parameters and phases in the quantum gates. The goal is to find the configuration with the lowest energy, which corresponds to the optimal or near-optimal solution.
PennyLane offers several tutorials on the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), including an introduction, the physics and mathematics behind the algorithm, its application to the MaxCut problem, and a tutorial that can help you generate a solution for the vehicle routing problem.
- Intro to QAOA
- QAOA for MaxCut
- Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO)
I hope this brief explanation and these resources help you better understand how the QAOA algorithm works. If, after reading them, you still have questions, feel free to ask me!