Graph-based approach to entanglement entropy of quantum error-correcting codes

We develop a graph-based method to study the entanglement entropy of Calderbank-Shor-Steane quantum codes. This method offers a straightforward interpretation for the entanglement entropy of quantum error correcting codes through graph-theoretical concepts, shedding light on the origins of both the local and long-range entanglement. Furthermore, it inspires an efficient computational scheme for evaluating the entanglement entropy. We illustrate the method by calculating the von Neumann entropy of subsystems in toric codes and two types of quantum low-density-parity check codes, and by comparing the scaling behavior of the entanglement entropy with respect to the subsystem size. Our method provides a new perspective for understanding the entanglement structure in quantum many-body systems.