Low autocorrelation binary sequences: exact enumeration and optimization by evolutionary strategies

Abstract

We investigate skew-symmetric sequences with chain lengths up to N = 71, giving a complete table of all merit factors F≥7 and their associated configurations. We also calculate the exact thermodynami-cal properties of shorter chains (N≤55). We then introduce an evolutionary strategy, describing the properties of our search algorithm and comparing our results to those of other heuristic methods such as simulated annealing. We find the highest merit factors ever reached for chains of length 81≤N≤201.