arXiv:2608.09823

Quantum Information Flow under String-Diagram Rewriting

Yi-Yu Lin, Chen-Ye Li

quant-phhep-thSubmitted Aug 10, 2026• Announced Aug 11, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

We revisit the notion of ``quantum information flow'' introduced in Bob Coecke's early work and seek to give it an explicit string-diagrammatic formalization. Given a semantics preserving string-diagram rewriting sequence, we first distinguish apparent through-paths, which depend on the current graphical presentation, from genuine through paths, which can be compatibly inherited through successive rewrites to a terminal decoupled bare wire factor. We then formally define a ``Coecke flow line'' in terms of this compatible inheritance relation. In particular, we use the ZX calculus, i.e., the ZX string diagram rewriting system, to illustrate the resulting formalism. In the physical setting of quantum protocols, a Coecke flow can be interpreted as a constrained, quasi-local, line-like presentation of a target bare wire morphism factor within the protocol string diagram.

Comments: 74 pages, 22 figures

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