Quantum bit threads

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum bit thread framework that aligns with the quantum extremal surface approach for holographic entanglement entropy, providing insights into the emergence of spacetime and islands.

Contribution

It presents a novel quantum bit thread prescription, extending the classical max-flow min-cut theorem to quantum settings, and explores its implications for holography and emergent spacetime.

Findings

Quantum bit thread prescription matches quantum extremal surface results.

Generalised Riemannian max-flow min-cut theorem proven.

Discussion on emergence of islands and spacetime from quantum bit threads.

Abstract

We give a bit thread prescription that is equivalent to the quantum extremal surface prescription for holographic entanglement entropy. Our proposal is inspired by considerations of bit threads in doubly holographic models, and equivalence is established by proving a generalisation of the Riemannian max-flow min-cut theorem. We explore our proposal's properties and discuss ways in which islands and spacetime are emergent phenomena from the quantum bit thread perspective.