Summary: We propose a theory for coupling matter fields with discrete geometry on higher-order networks, i.e. cell complexes. The key idea of the approach is to associate to a higher-order network the quantum entropy of its metric. Specifically we propose an action having two contributions. The first contribution is proportional to the logarithm of the volume associated to the higher-order network by the metric. In the vacuum this contribution determines the entropy of the geometry. The second contribution is the quantum relative entropy between the metric of the higher-order network and the metric induced by the matter and gauge fields. The induced metric is defined in terms of the topological spinors and the discrete Dirac operators. The topological spinors, defined on nodes, edges and higher-dimensional cells, encode for the matter fields. The discrete Dirac operators act on topological spinors, and depend on the metric of the higher-order network as well as on the gauge fields via a discrete version of the minimal substitution. We derive the coupled dynamical equations for the metric, the matter and the gauge fields, providing an information theory principle to obtain the field theory equations in discrete curved space.
{© 2024 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd}