Late Breaking Results: New Computational Results and Hardware Prototypes for Oscillator-based Ising Machines

Abstract

In this paper, we report new results on a novel Ising machine technology for solving combinatorial optimization problems using networks of coupled self-sustaining oscillators. Specifically, we present several working hardware prototypes using CMOS electronic oscillators, built on breadboards/perfboards and PCBs, implementing Ising machines consisting of up to 240 spins with programmable couplings. We also report that, just by simulating the differential equations of such Ising machines of larger sizes, good solutions can be achieved easily on benchmark optimization problems, demonstrating the effectiveness of oscillator-based Ising machines.