Hybrid divide-and-conquer approach for tree search algorithms

Abstract

As we are entering the era of real-world small quantum computers, finding applications for these limited devices is a key challenge. In this vein, it was recently shown that a hybrid classical-quantum method can help provide polynomial speed-ups to classical divide-and-conquer algorithms, even when only given access to a quantum computer much smaller than the problem itself. In this work we study the hybrid divide-and-conquer method in the context of tree search algorithms, and extend it by including quantum backtracking, which allows better results than previous Grover-based methods. Further, we provide general criteria for polynomial speed-ups in the tree search context, and provide a number of examples where polynomial speed ups, using arbitrarily smaller quantum computers, can still be obtained. This study possible speed-ups for the well known algorithm of DPLL and prove threshold-free speed-ups for the tree search subroutines of the so-called PPSZ algorithm – which is the core of the fastest exact Boolean satisfiability solver – for certain classes of formulas. We also provide a simple example where speed-ups can be obtained in an algorithm-independent fashion, under certain well-studied complexity-theoretical assumptions. Finally, we briefly discuss the fundamental limitations of hybrid methods in providing speed-ups for larger problems.