Quantum convolutional neural networks for high energy physics data analysis

Skin cancer, in particular melanoma, is still one of the most significant contributing factors to cancer-related deaths globally, indicating the urgency of reliable diagnostic tools. Early discovery of skin lesions can radically increase patient survival rates, but manual diagnosis is not an easy task, and it is time-consuming as well. This paper uses Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks (QCNN), a hybrid quantum-classical model for the skin lesion classification task as being benign or malignant. The model intertwines quantum feature extraction using an amplitude encoding and parameterized quantum circuit with classical convolutional neural network (CNN) layers analyzing spatial features. Advanced pre-processing techniques and Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Techniques (SMOTE) address the class imbalance, as federated learning ensures decentralized nodes’ privacy-preserving training. The explainability of the model predictions is heightened through Quantum SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) and Gradient-Weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). This work evaluates QCNN on the Melanoma Skin Cancer Dataset of 10,600 images, achieving 96.87% training accuracy and a validation accuracy of 85% while surpassing classical benchmarks in accuracy, efficiency, and robustness. Therefore, this quantum-classical model has highlighted potential applications of medical image diagnostics through quantum-classical models

This research work on the well-known WM811K wafer map dataset intends to integrate the insights provided by wafer manufacturing techniques and the computing power of quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNN) approach. The work begins with demonstrating high accuracy (𝑹 𝟐 =99.32%) of the classical convolutional neural network (CCNN) consisting of three consecutive convolution layers on the WM-811K dataset. In later part of the paper, optimized for multi-class classification, the applied QCNN model consisting of four qubits used for convolutional and pooling layers exhibit 99.38% accuracy. The QCNN model establishes supremacy over CCNN model by reducing time requirement to train the model for classifying defects on the wafer images.

The paper analyses and investigates the usage of quantum convolutional neural networks in technical, natural, and socio-economic systems. Quantum convolutional neural networks are a novel approach to information processing that is based on the principles of quantum mechanics and artificial intelligence. In technical systems, the potential of using quantum convolutional neural networks for solving complex tasks such as image processing, machine learning, and prediction has been explored. The results have shown that quantum convolutional neural networks can provide more accurate and faster computations compared to classical neural networks. In natural systems, research has been conducted on the use of quantum convolutional neural networks for modeling and predicting complex natural processes. Their effectiveness in understanding genetic data, studying complex molecular structures, and analyzing ecological systems has been investigated. It has been found that quantum convolutional neural networks can deliver more precise and rapid results compared to conventional data processing methods. In socio-economic systems, the possibilities of employing quantum convolutional neural networks for social network analysis, financial market forecasting, and resource management have been studied. The application of quantum convolutional neural networks has the potential to enhance prediction accuracy and facilitate more effective decision-making in socio-economic systems. The research findings confirm that quantum convolutional neural networks have the potential to be utilized in various domains, including technical, natural, and socio-economic systems. They can achieve higher accuracy, processing speed, and predictive capabilities compared to traditional methods.

Quantum generative modeling is emerging as a powerful tool for advancing data analysis in high-energy physics, where complex multivariate distributions are common. However, efficiently learning and sampling these distributions remains challenging. We propose a quantum protocol for a bivariate probabilistic model based on shifted Chebyshev polynomials, trained as a circuit-based representation of two correlated variables, with sampling performed via quantum Chebyshev transforms. As a key application, we study fragmentation functions (FFs) of charged pions and kaons from single-inclusive hadron production in electron-positron annihilation. We learn the joint distribution of momentum fraction z and energy scale Q, and infer their correlations from the entanglement structure. Building on the generalization capabilities of the quantum model and extended register architecture, we perform fine-grid multivariate sampling for FF dataset augmentation. Our results highlight the growing potential of quantum generative modeling to advance data analysis and scientific discovery in high-energy physics. Quantum computing holds great promise for advancing data analysis in science, including high-energy physics. This work presents a quantum protocol for learning and sampling multivariate distributions, using Chebyshev polynomials and quantum Chebyshev transforms to study fragmentation functions and energy-momentum correlations in hadron production.

In this paper, we propose a multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA) feature extraction method based on a novel quantum convolutional neural network (QCNN) for binary scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) image classification. We design QCNN quantum circuits for state preparation, quantum convolution, and quantum pooling in the TensorFlow quantum framework and compare the performance of QCNN classifier and two hybrid quantum-classical QCNN models. Adversarial attacks are considered as a type of interpretable method to evaluate the robustness of QCNN models. The similarity between the pixels of image bitplane slicing and Ising phase transition opens up new ways for exploring classification performance enhancement by QCNN classifiers. Classification performance of different bitplanes of QCNN also shows that they can robustly resist adversarial attacks such as FGSM, CW, JSMA, and DEEPFOOL.

The convolutional neural network (CNN) is a widely recognized model in computer vision due to its capability to utilize data correlation effectively. However, CNNs often face challenges when training on large datasets or dimensions. To address this, the Quantum Convolutional Neural Network (QCNN) introduces an innovative solution for CNN-based problems, specifically within quantum computing frameworks. By integrating CNN architecture into quantum environments, QCNN enhances the model's overall efficiency and functionality. This approach marks an initial effort to propose a solution for classification challenges in quantum physics and chemistry. Furthermore, the study highlights a computational method utilizing the Multi-scale Entanglement Renormalization Ansatz (MERA) with logarithmic depth O(log(n)). Experiments conducted using the TensorFlow Quantum platform on the MNIST dataset demonstrate that QCNNs can achieve faster learning compared to conventional CNNs.

- We present a comprehensive study exploring quantum machine learning (QML) approaches for plant disease detection from leaf images and compare them against well-established classical counterparts. Specifically, we implement and analyze Quantum Support Vector Machines (QSVMs) vs classical SVMs, and Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks (QCNNs) vs classical CNNs. Using the widely used PlantVillage and complementary field datasets, we describe image preprocessing, classical baseline architectures, quantum data-encoding strategies, circuit-level QSVM and QCNN designs for near-term quantum devices, and hybrid training procedures. Where possible, we review literature-reported performance and propose a reproducible experimental pipeline for empirical evaluation on simulated/noisy quantum backends. We discuss expected strengths and limitations of quantum approaches (expressivity, kernel advantages, resource constraints), provide detailed evaluation metrics and ablations, and propose directions for real-device experiments and field deployment. Key takeaways: QSVM/quantum-kernel methods can provide superior separability on certain feature maps and small-to-medium-sized datasets, while QCNNs show promise as compact feature extractors for hybrid pipelines — but both approaches currently require careful circuit design and error-mitigation to outperform well-tuned classical models in realistic field settings. Key Words: QCNN, Plant Disease, SVM, CNN, QSVM

With the development of the new generation of High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments, huge amounts of data are being generated. Efficient parallel algorithms/frameworks and High IO throughput are key to meet the scalability and performance requirements of HEP offline data analysis. Though Hadoop has gained a lot of attention from scientific community for its scalability and parallel computing framework for large data sets, it’s still difficult to make HEP data processing tasks run directly on Hadoop. In this paper we investigate the application of Hadoop to make HEP jobs run on it transparently. Particularly, we discuss a new mechanism to support HEP software to random access data in HDFS. Because HDFS is streaming data stored only supporting sequential write and append. It cannot satisfy HEP jobs to random access data. This new feature allows the Map/Reduce tasks to random read/write on the local file system on data nodes instead of using Hadoop data streaming interface. This makes HEP jobs run on Hadoop possible. We also develop diverse MapReduce model for HEP jobs such as Corsika simulation, ARGO detector simulation and Medea++ reconstruction. And we develop a toolkit for users to submit/query/remove jobs. In addition, we provide cluster monitoring and account system to benefit to the system availability. This work has been in production for HEP experiment to gain about 40,000 CPU hours per month since September, 2016.

White blood cells (WBCs) are the most diverse types of cells observed in the healing process of injured skeletal muscles. In the recovery process, WBCs exhibit a dynamic cellular response and undergo multiple changes of the protein expression. The progress of healing can be analyzed by the number of WBCs or by the number of specific proteins observed in light microscopy images obtained at different time points after injury. We propose a deep learning quantification and analysis system called DeepQuantify to analyze WBCs in light microscopy images of uninjured and injured muscles of female mice. The DeepQuantify system features in segmentation using the localized iterative Otsu's thresholding method, masking postprocessing, and classification of WBCs with a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier to achieve a high accuracy and a low manpower cost. The proposed two-layer CNN classifier designed based on the optimization hypothesis is evaluated and compared with other CNN classifiers. The DeepQuantify system adopting these CNN classifiers is evaluated for quantifying CD68-positive macrophages and 7/4-positive neutrophils and compared with the state-of-the-art deep learning segmentation architectures. DeepQuantify achieves an accuracy of 90.64% and 89.31% for CD68-positive macrophages and 7/4-positive neutrophils, respectively. The DeepQuantify system employing the proposed two-layer CNN architecture achieves better performance than those deep segmentation architectures. The quantitative analysis of two protein dynamics during muscle recovery is also presented.

Neural network-based algorithms have garnered considerable attention in condensed matter physics for their ability to learn complex patterns from very high dimensional data sets towards classifying complex long-range patterns of entanglement and correlations in many-body quantum systems. Small-scale quantum computers are already showing potential gains in learning tasks on large quantum and very large classical data sets. A particularly interesting class of algorithms, the quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNN) could learn features of a quantum data set by performing a binary classification task on a nontrivial phase of quantum matter. Inspired by this promise, we present a generalization of QCNN, the branching quantum convolutional neural network, or bQCNN, with substantially higher expressibility. A key feature of bQCNN is that it leverages mid-circuit (intermediate) measurement results, realizable on current trapped-ion systems, obtained in pooling layers to determine which sets of parameters will be used in the subsequent convolutional layers of the circuit. This results in a branching structure, which allows for a greater number of trainable variational parameters in a given circuit depth. This is of particular use on current-day NISQ devices, where circuit depth is limited by gate noise. We present an overview of the ansatz structure and scaling, and provide evidence of its enhanced expressibility compared to QCNN. Using artificially-constructed large data sets of training states as a proof-of-concept we demonstrate the existence of training tasks in which bQCNN far outperforms an ordinary QCNN. Finally, we present future directions where the classical branching structure and increased density of trainable parameters in bQCNN would be particularly valuable.

Instead of using current deep-learning segmentation models (like the UNet and variants), we approach the segmentation problem using trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifiers, which automatically extract important features from images for classification. Those extracted features can be visualized and formed into heatmaps using Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). This study tested whether the heatmaps could be used to segment the classified targets. We also proposed an evaluation method for the heatmaps; that is, to re-train the CNN classifier using images filtered by heatmaps and examine its performance. We used the mean-Dice coefficient to evaluate segmentation results. Results from our experiments show that heatmaps can locate and segment partial tumor areas. But use of only the heatmaps from CNN classifiers may not be an optimal approach for segmentation. We have verified that the predictions of CNN classifiers mainly depend on tumor areas, and dark regions in Grad-CAM's heatmaps also contribute to classification.

A biosensing method for the direct serological detection of liver diseases by integrating a SERS-based sensor and a CNN classifier

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence has enabled significant progress in image classification, with emerging approaches extending traditional deep learning paradigms. This article presents an extended version of a paper originally introduced at ICCSA 2025, providing a broader comparative analysis of classical, spline-based, and quantum machine learning architectures. The study evaluates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks (KANs), Convolutional KANs (CKANs), and Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks (QCNNs) on the Labeled Faces in the Wild dataset. In addition to these baselines, two novel architectures are introduced: a fully quantum Kolmogorov–Arnold model (F-QKAN) and a hybrid KAN–Quantum network (H-QKAN) that combines spline-based feature extraction with variational quantum classification. Rather than targeting state-of-the-art performance, the evaluation focuses on analyzing the behaviour of these architectures in terms of accuracy, computational efficiency, and interpretability under a unified experimental protocol. Results show that the fully quantum F-QKAN achieves a test accuracy above 80%. The hybrid H-QKAN obtains the best overall performance, exceeding 92% accuracy with rapid convergence and stable training dynamics. Classical CNNs models remain state-of-the-art in terms of predictive performance, whereas CKANs offer a favorable balance between accuracy and efficiency. QCNNs show potential in ideal noise-free settings but are significantly affected by realistic noise conditions, motivating further investigation into hybrid quantum–classical designs.

This paper is based on a talk given at Computing in High Energy Physics in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia in November 2019. It is partially intended to explain the context of DUNE Computing for computing specialists. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) collaboration consists of over 180 institutions from 33 countries. The experiment is in preparation now, with commissioning of the first 10kT fiducial volume Liquid Argon TPC expected over the period 2025-2028 and a long data taking run with 4 modules expected from 2029 and beyond. An active prototyping program is already in place with a short test-beam run with a 700T, 15,360 channel prototype of single-phase readout at the Neutrino Platform at CERN in late 2018 and tests of a similar sized dual-phase detector scheduled for mid-2019. The 2018 test-beam run was a valuable live test of our computing model. The detector produced raw data at rates of up to 2GB/s. These data were stored at full rate on tape at CERN and Fermilab and replicated at sites in the UK and Czech Republic. In total 1.2 PB of raw data from beam and cosmic triggers were produced and reconstructed during the six week testbeam run. Baseline predictions for the full DUNE detector data, starting in the late 2020’s are 30-60 PB of raw data per year. In contrast to traditional HEP computational problems, DUNE’s Liquid Argon TPC data consist of simple but very large (many GB) 2D data objects which share many characteristics with astrophysical images. This presents opportunities to use advances in machine learning and pattern recognition as a frontier user of High Performance Computing facilities capable of massively parallel processing.

BackgroundThe aging of the world population poses a major health challenge, and brain–computer interface (BCI) technology has the potential to provide assistance and rehabilitation for the elderly.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics during motor imagery by comparing young and elderly, and study Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) classification for the elderly population in terms of fatigue analysis in both frontal and parietal regions.MethodsA total of 20 healthy individuals participated in the study, including 10 young and 10 older adults. All participants completed the left- and right-hand motor imagery experiment. The energy changes in the motor imagery process were analyzed using time–frequency graphs and quantified event-related desynchronization (ERD) values. The fatigue level of the motor imagery was assessed by two indicators: (θ + α)/β and θ/β, and fatigue-sensitive channels were distinguished from the parietal region of the brain. Then, rhythm entropy was introduced to analyze the complexity of the cognitive activity. The phase-lock values related to the parietal and frontal lobes were calculated, and their temporal synchronization was discussed. Finally, the motor imagery EEG data was classified by CNNs, and the accuracy was discussed based on the analysis results.ResultFor the young and elderly, ERD was observed in C3 and C4 channels, and their fatigue-sensitive channels in the parietal region were slightly different. During the experiment, the rhythm entropy of the frontal lobe showed a decreasing trend with time for most of the young subjects, while there was an increasing trend for most of the older ones. Using the CNN classification method, the elderly achieved around 70% of the average classification accuracy, which is almost the same for the young adults.ConclusionCompared with the young adults, the elderly are less affected by the level of cognitive fatigue during motor imagery, but the classification accuracy of motor imagery data in the elderly may be slightly lower than that in young persons. At the same time, the deep learning method also provides a potentially feasible option for the application of motor-imagery BCI (MI-BCI) in the elderly by considering the ERD and fatigue phenomenon together.