Equivalence of lattice operators and graph matrices

Abstract We explore the relationship between lattice field theory and graph theory, placing special emphasis on the interplay between Dirac and scalar lattice operators and matrices within the realm of spectral graph theory. Beyond delving into fundamental concepts of spectral graph theory, such as adjacency and Laplacian matrices, we introduce a novel matrix called an “antisymmetrized adjacency matrix”, specifically tailored for cycle digraphs (T1 lattice) and simple directed paths (B1 lattice). The nontrivial relationship between graph theory matrices and lattice operators shows that the graph Laplacian matrix mirrors the lattice scalar operator and the Wilson term in lattice fermions, while the antisymmetrized adjacency matrix, along with its extensions to higher dimensions, is equivalent to naive lattice Dirac operators. Building upon these connections, we provide rigorous proofs for two key assertions: (i) The count of zero-modes in a free lattice scalar operator coincides with the zeroth Betti number of the underlying graph (lattice). (ii) The maximum count of Dirac zero-modes in a free lattice fermion operator is equivalent to the cumulative sum of all Betti numbers when the D-dimensional graph results from a Cartesian product of cycle digraphs (T1 lattice) and simple directed paths (B1 lattice).