An approximation algorithm for the MAX-2-local hamiltonian problem

Sean Hallgren, Eunou Lee, Ojas Parekh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a classical approximation algorithm for the MAX-2-Local Hamiltonian problem. This is a maximization version of the QMA-complete 2-Local Hamiltonian problem in quantum computing, with the additional assumption that each local term is positive semidefinite. The MAX-2-Local Hamiltonian problem generalizes NP-hard constraint satisfaction problems, and our results may be viewed as generalizations of approximation approaches for the MAX-2-CSP problem. We work in the product state space and extend the framework of Goemans and Williamson for approximating MAX-2-CSPs. The key difference is that in the product state setting, a solution consists of a set of normalized 3-dimensional vectors rather than boolean numbers, and we leverage approximation results for rank-constrained Grothendieck inequalities. For MAX-2-Local Hamiltonian we achieve an approximation ratio of 0.328. This is the first example of an approximation algorithm beating the random quantum assignment ratio of 0.25 by a constant factor.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationApproximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques, APPROX/RANDOM 2020
EditorsJaroslaw Byrka, Raghu Meka
PublisherSchloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing
ISBN (Electronic)9783959771641
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2020
Event23rd International Conference on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems and 24th International Conference on Randomization and Computation, APPROX/RANDOM 2020 - Virtual, Online, United States
Duration: Aug 17 2020Aug 19 2020

Publication series

NameLeibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
Volume176
ISSN (Print)1868-8969

Conference

Conference23rd International Conference on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems and 24th International Conference on Randomization and Computation, APPROX/RANDOM 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityVirtual, Online
Period8/17/208/19/20

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Software

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