Bridging the Analog and the Probabilistic Computing Divide: Configuring Oscillator Ising Machines as P-bit Engines

TL;DR

This paper introduces a theoretical framework to configure Oscillator Ising Machines as p-bit engines, leveraging harmonic injection techniques, thereby expanding their application scope and bridging analog and probabilistic computing paradigms.

Contribution

It presents a novel method to enable OIMs as p-bit engines through harmonic injection, unifying two distinct computing approaches and broadening application possibilities.

Findings

Harmonic injection enables OIMs to function as p-bit engines.

The approach broadens the application scope of OIMs.

The method applies to other analog dynamical systems like the Dynamical Ising Machine.

Abstract

Oscillator Ising Machines (OIMs) and probabilistic bit (p-bit)-based computing platforms have emerged as promising paradigms for tackling complex combinatorial optimization problems. Although traditionally viewed as distinct approaches, this work presents a theoretically grounded framework for configuring OIMs as p-bit engines. We demonstrate that this functionality can be enabled through a novel interplay between first- and second harmonic injection to the oscillators. Our work identifies new synergies between the two methods and broadens the scope of applications for OIMs. We further show that the proposed approach can be applied to other analog dynamical systems, such as the Dynamical Ising Machine.