Abstract: Recent years, quantum technology has developed rapidly and become another emerging strategic technology after cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. The applications of quantum theory in the field of intelligent optimization have been proved to be successful and promising. To promote the development of this research direction, the current research progress of intelligent optimization algorithms is reviewed from the perspective of quantum mechanics. The applications of quantum mechanics in intelligent optimization algorithm are divided into two aspects: the first is applying the concepts of qubits and quantum gate to propose intelligent optimization algorithms, which can effectively improve the performance of the intelligent algorithms by those quantum concepts; the second is modelling the intelligent optimization algorithms by using the concepts of Schrödinger equation, wave function and superposition state, and establishing the quantization description of the intelligent optimization algorithms, which provides a new paradigm for the analysis and research of the intelligent optimization algorithms by using quantum mechanics. The applications of quantum theory in optimization algorithm indicate that the theory of intelligent optimization algorithms based on Schrödinger equation has a complete mathematical theoretical framework and can derive the core iterative operations of the optimization algorithms, which is expected to establish a unified mathematical and physical model for the optimization algorithms.