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Entanglement entropy: holography and renormalization group (1801.10352v3)

Published 31 Jan 2018 in hep-th

Abstract: Entanglement entropy plays a variety of roles in quantum field theory, including the connections between quantum states and gravitation through the holographic principle. This article provides a review of entanglement entropy from a mixed viewpoint of field theory and holography. A set of basic methods for the computation is developed and illustrated with simple examples such as free theories and conformal field theories. The structures of the ultraviolet divergences and the universal parts are determined and compared with the holographic descriptions of entanglement entropy. The utility of quantum inequalities of entanglement are discussed and shown to derive the C-theorem that constrains renormalization group flows of quantum field theories in diverse dimensions.

Citations (216)

Summary

  • The paper establishes entanglement entropy as a key link between quantum field theories and gravity through holographic dualities and methods like the replica trick.
  • The paper details computational techniques, including heat kernel expansion and minimal surface calculations in AdS/CFT, to evaluate entropic divergences.
  • The paper demonstrates that entropic measures can constrain renormalization group flows, extending concepts such as the c- and F-theorems to higher dimensions.

Entanglement Entropy: Holography and Renormalization Group

The paper "Entanglement entropy: holography and renormalization group" by Tatsuma Nishioka provides an in-depth exploration of entanglement entropy (EE) as a pivotal concept connecting quantum field theory (QFT) and gravitational theories through holographic dualities. The author offers a comprehensive review from both field theoretic and holographic perspectives, focusing on the computational methods, the structure of entropic divergences, and their utility in deriving theoretical constraints on renormalization group (RG) flows.

Overview of Entanglement Entropy

Entanglement entropy is a crucial measure of quantum correlations between spatially separated regions in a quantum system. This non-local measure finds extensive application across various branches of physics, including quantum information theory, condensed matter physics, and high energy physics. Within the context of QFT, EE provides powerful insights into phase transitions and field configurations influenced by underlying symmetries.

The paper emphasizes how the holographic calculation of EE, particularly using the Ryu-Takayanagi formula, demonstrates strong subadditivity properties and captures insights into entropic bounds in gravitational theories. This has been instrumental in non-perturbatively quantifying EE in strongly coupled systems and has inspired a deeper understanding of gravity through the lens of quantum entanglement.

Computational Techniques

The paper details several computational approaches for evaluating EE, both within conventional QFT and holographically:

  1. Replica Method: A standard method in QFT for computing EE, the replica trick involves analytic continuation of the R`{e}nyi entropy and is particularly beneficial for exploring entanglement across varied topologies.
  2. Heat Kernel Expansion: By utilizing this technique, one can systematically compute the effective action in curved space, from which EE can be inferred. The paper discusses this within the context of regularized manifolds and the handling of singularities.
  3. Holographic Entropy Formulae: Utilizes minimal surfaces in AdS/CFT correspondences to evaluate EE, offering profound insights into the entropic content of quantum states described by gravitational duals.

Renormalization Group Flows and Constraints

A significant contribution of the paper is its discussion on the implications of EE in constraining RG flows. Historical results like Zamolodchikov's c-theorem in two-dimensional QFTs, where a monotonically decreasing c-function is constructed as part of the RG flow, are extended analogously to higher dimensions through entropic analogs like the F-theorem in three dimensions.

Nishioka postulates criteria for a c-function - reflecting the effective number of degrees of freedom - as:

  • Decay along RG flows: The function decreases monotonically, signifying the loss of degrees of freedom as IR fixed points are approached.
  • Stationarity at Conformal Fixed Points: It should render stationary values at fixed points, correlating with central charges or analogous measures in higher dimensions.

Holographic Insights

The intersection of EE with holography permits a re-examination of these ideas within the AdS/CFT framework, where gravitational dualities yield exact solutions to EE that are otherwise intractable in field theoretic calculations. The paper emphasizes the geometric significance of these holographic constructions and their consistency with expected entropic properties:

  • AdS Geometries: Investigates minimal surfaces and bulk solutions representative of QFT states, unveiling EE's geometric nature via extensions like the entropic c-function.
  • Entanglement and Black Hole Physics: Offers perspectives on how entanglement pertains to black hole thermodynamics, contributing to conceptualizing spacetime within string theory backgrounds.

Future Directions and Concluding Thoughts

This review hints at future explorations, such as extending entropic principles and c-function conceptualizations to yet higher dimensions, demanding rigorous proofs and formulations. The suggested links between EE, RG flows, and holographic theories anticipate deeper connections underlying quantum gravity and emergent spacetime from entangled quantum states.

In summary, Nishioka's paper delineates a multifaceted view of entanglement entropy as both a computational tool and a conceptual bridge connecting quantum field theory, statistical mechanics of spacetime, and gravity via AdS/CFT dualities, offering profound insights into the nature of quantum entanglement and the structural constraints of field theories.

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