Finding graph minors in the D-Wave hardware graph

D-Wave’s quantum computer is good at solving a specific type of problems known as Ising spin problems. However, in order to solve one of these spin problems, you must first solve another hard problem—embedding the spin problem on D-Wave’s quantum processor.
From the land of discrete mathematics, this embedding problem falls into a well studied branch of graph theory known as graph minors. Being that this problem is difficult in and of itself, D-Wave has developed a heuristic solution. This project’s main aim is to help improve this embedding process. This project will help improve D-Wave’s current heuristic solution as well as devise new approaches to the problem.

Faculty Supervisor:

Matthew DeVos

Student:

Stefan Hannie

Partner:

D-Wave Systems Inc.

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Simon Fraser University