A quantum diffusion network

Wong’s diffusion network is a stochastic, zero-input Hopfield network [8] with a Gibbs stationary distribution over a bounded, connected continuum [13]. Previously, logarithmic thermal annealing was demonstrated for the diffusion network [10], [7] and digital versions of it were studied and applied to imaging [14]. Recently, “quantum” annealed Markov chains have garnered significant attention [12], [3] because of their improved performance over “pure” thermal annealing. In this note, a joint quantum and thermal version of Wong’s diffusion network is described and its convergence properties are studied. Different choices for “auxiliary” functions are discussed, including those of the kinetic type previously associated with quantum annealing.