Optimization apparatus and optimization method for annealing circuits

Abstract

An optimization apparatus includes electronic circuits configured to perform calculating, for a plurality of annealing units to which respective states and respective, different temperatures are assigned, respective evaluation function values responsive to the respective states, and causing a transition in the states with probabilities responsive to the temperatures and the evaluation function values, exchanging the temperatures or the states between the plurality of annealing units with predetermined probabilities based on the temperatures and the evaluation function values, and changing a temperature of an annealing unit of interest, such that a probability of exchange between the annealing unit of interest and a first annealing unit situated next thereto on a lower temperature side in a sequence arranged in order of temperature approaches a probability of exchange between the annealing unit of interest and a second annealing unit situated next thereto on a higher temperature side in the sequence.