Binary optimization with boson sampling

A method comprising:

• determining a set of one or more parameter values that defines, at least in part, a parametrized unitary transformation of a boson sampler, wherein determining the set of one or more parameter values is based on a cost function associated with a binary optimization problem, wherein the boson sampler comprises:
• a set of one or more single photon sources, the set of one or more single photon sources configured to generate an input state comprising a plurality of input modes;
• a reconfigurable interferometer comprising one or more configurable parameters, the reconfigurable interferometer configured to generate an output state by performing the parametrized unitary transformation on the input state, wherein the parametrized unitary transformation is dependent on the set of one or more parameter values of the one or more configurable parameters;
• and
• an arrangement of one or more photon detectors, the arrangement of photon detectors configured to produce a measurement outcome indicative of a number of photons in output modes of the output state;
• generating instructions to operate the boson sampler multiple times with the boson sampler tuned to the determined set of one or more parameter values;
• recording one or more responses of the boson sampler for the multiple operations of the boson sampler, the one or more responses indicating measurement outcomes of the boson sampler;
• generating binary sequences based on the one or more responses, wherein generating the binary sequences comprises mapping the measurement outcomes of the boson sampler to the binary sequences, wherein each element of one of the binary sequences corresponds to one of the output modes of the output state and each element has a value based on a parity of a number of photons in the one of the output modes;
• calculating values of an objective function of the binary optimization problem for at least two of the binary sequences;
• and
• determining a solution to the binary optimization problem based at least on the calculated values.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising stored instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

• determining a set of one or more parameter values that defines, at least in part, a parametrized unitary transformation of a boson sampler, wherein determining the set of one or more parameter values is based on a cost function associated with a binary optimization problem, wherein the boson sampler comprises:
• a set of one or more single photon sources, the set of one or more single photon sources configured to generate an input state comprising a plurality of input modes;
• a reconfigurable interferometer comprising one or more configurable parameters, the reconfigurable interferometer configured to generate an output state by performing the parametrized unitary transformation on the input state, wherein the parametrized unitary transformation is dependent on the set of one or more parameter values of the one or more configurable parameters;
• and
• an arrangement of one or more photon detectors, the arrangement of photon detectors configured to produce a measurement outcome indicative of a number of photons in output modes of the output state;
• generating instructions to operate the boson sampler multiple times with the boson sampler tuned to the determined set of one or more parameter values;
• recording one or more responses of the boson sampler for the multiple operations of the boson sampler, the one or more responses indicating measurement outcomes of the boson sampler;
• generating binary sequences based on the one or more responses, wherein generating the binary sequences comprises mapping the measurement outcomes of the boson sampler to the binary sequences, wherein each element of one of the binary sequences corresponds to one of the output modes of the output state and each element has a value based on a parity of a number of photons in the one of the output modes;
• calculating values of an objective function of the binary optimization problem for at least two of the binary sequences;
• and
• determining a solution to the binary optimization problem based at least on the calculated values.