Sampling from an analog processor

A method of operation in a sampling device that comprises both an analog processor and at least one processor-based device communicatively coupled to one another, the analog processor comprising a plurality of qubits, and a plurality of coupling devices, wherein each coupling device provides controllable communicative coupling between a respective pair of the plurality of qubits, the method comprising:

• receiving a sample from a function implemented on the analog processor;
• running a simulated annealing in accordance with a backwards annealing schedule, the backwards annealing schedule comprising a starting condition, at least one intermediate condition, and a stopping condition, the backwards annealing schedule comprising a variable that defines a reverse annealing evolution and a rule for incrementing the variable along a series between the starting condition and the stopping condition and including the at least one intermediate condition, wherein the simulated annealing starts at the sample and generates a history of states of the simulated annealing as the variable is incremented, the history of states comprising at least one state corresponding to the intermediate condition of the backwards annealing schedule;
• and
• returning the history of states of the simulated annealing.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores processor-executable instructions, which when executed cause at least one processor to:

• receive a sample from a function implemented on an analog processor;
• run a simulated annealing according to a backwards annealing schedule, the backwards annealing schedule comprising a starting condition, at least one intermediate condition, and a stopping condition, the backwards annealing schedule comprising a variable that defines a reverse annealing evolution and a rule for incrementing the variable along a series between the starting condition and the stopping condition and including the at least one intermediate condition, wherein the simulated annealing starts at the sample and generates a history of states of the simulated annealing as the variable is incremented, the history of states comprising at least one state corresponding to the intermediate condition of the backwards annealing schedule;
• and
• return the history of states of the simulated annealing.