Comparative analysis of LCNet050 and MobileNetV3 architectures in hybrid quantum–classical neural networks for image classification

Abstract

This study explores the impact of classical backbone architecture on the performance of hybrid quantum-classical neural networks in image classification tasks. Hybrid models combine the representational power of classical deep learning with the potential advantages of quantum computation. Specifically, this research employs a quanvolutional neural network architecture in which a quantum convolutional layer, based on a four-qubit Ry circuit, preprocesses input images before classical processing. 

Despite the growing interest in hybrid models, few studies have systematically investigated how variations in classical architecture design affect the overall performance of hybrid quantum-classical neural networks. To address this gap, we compare two lightweight convolutional backbones – MobileNetV3Small050 and LCNet050 – integrated with an identical quantum preprocessing layer. Both models are evaluated on the CIFAR-10 dataset using 5-fold stratified cross-validation. Performance is assessed using multiple metrics, including accuracy, macro- and micro-averaged area under the curve, and class-wise confusion matrices. 

The results indicate that the LCNet-based hybrid model consistently outperforms its MobileNet counterpart, achieving higher overall accuracy and area under the curve scores, along with improved class balance and robustness in distinguishing less-represented classes. These findings underscore the critical role of classical backbone selection in hybrid quantum-classical architectures. While the quantum layer remains fixed, the synergy between quantum preprocessing and classical feature extraction significantly affects model performance.

This study contributes to a growing body of work on quantum-enhanced learning systems by demonstrating the importance of classical design choices. Future research may extend these insights to alternative datasets, deeper or transformer-based backbones, and more expressive quantum circuits.