The accuracy of restricted Boltzmann machine models of Ising systems

Abstract Restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) provide a general framework for modeling physical systems, but their behavior is dependent on hyperparameters such as the learning rate, the number of hidden nodes and the form of the threshold function. This article accordingly examines in detail the influence of these parameters on Ising spin system calculations. A tradeoff is identified between the accuracy of statistical quantities such as the specific heat and that of the joint distribution of energy and magnetization. The optimal structure of the RBM therefore depends intrinsically on the physical problem to which it is applied.