Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries
Abstract We study conformal field theories with boundaries, and their boundary renormalization group (RG) flows, using methods from quantum information theory. Positivity of the relative entropy, together with unitarity and Lorentz invariance, give rise to bounds that characterize the irreversibilit...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP04(2019)166 |
| _version_ | 1818149830359252992 |
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| author | Horacio Casini Ignacio Salazar Landea Gonzalo Torroba |
| author_facet | Horacio Casini Ignacio Salazar Landea Gonzalo Torroba |
| author_sort | Horacio Casini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We study conformal field theories with boundaries, and their boundary renormalization group (RG) flows, using methods from quantum information theory. Positivity of the relative entropy, together with unitarity and Lorentz invariance, give rise to bounds that characterize the irreversibility of such flows. This generalizes the recently proved entropic g-theorem to higher dimensions. In 2 + 1 dimensions with a boundary, we prove the entropic b-theorem — the decrease of the two-dimensional Weyl anomaly under boundary RG flows. In higher dimensions, the bound implies that the leading area coefficient of the entanglement entropy induced by the defect decreases along the flow. Our proof unifies these properties, and provides an information-theoretic interpretation in terms of the distinguishability between the short distance and long distance states. Finally, we establish a sum rule for the change in the area term in theories with boundaries, which could have implications for models with localized gravity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:13:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd4426fe6ea345eeb1c5c2a1a8bf8848 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:13:16Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd4426fe6ea345eeb1c5c2a1a8bf88482022-12-22T01:06:08ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792019-04-012019411810.1007/JHEP04(2019)166Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundariesHoracio Casini0Ignacio Salazar Landea1Gonzalo Torroba2Centro Atómico Bariloche and CONICETCentro Atómico Bariloche and CONICETCentro Atómico Bariloche and CONICETAbstract We study conformal field theories with boundaries, and their boundary renormalization group (RG) flows, using methods from quantum information theory. Positivity of the relative entropy, together with unitarity and Lorentz invariance, give rise to bounds that characterize the irreversibility of such flows. This generalizes the recently proved entropic g-theorem to higher dimensions. In 2 + 1 dimensions with a boundary, we prove the entropic b-theorem — the decrease of the two-dimensional Weyl anomaly under boundary RG flows. In higher dimensions, the bound implies that the leading area coefficient of the entanglement entropy induced by the defect decreases along the flow. Our proof unifies these properties, and provides an information-theoretic interpretation in terms of the distinguishability between the short distance and long distance states. Finally, we establish a sum rule for the change in the area term in theories with boundaries, which could have implications for models with localized gravity.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP04(2019)166Boundary Quantum Field TheoryConformal Field TheoryRenormalization Group |
| spellingShingle | Horacio Casini Ignacio Salazar Landea Gonzalo Torroba Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries Journal of High Energy Physics Boundary Quantum Field Theory Conformal Field Theory Renormalization Group |
| title | Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| title_full | Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| title_fullStr | Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| title_short | Irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| title_sort | irreversibility in quantum field theories with boundaries |
| topic | Boundary Quantum Field Theory Conformal Field Theory Renormalization Group |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP04(2019)166 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT horaciocasini irreversibilityinquantumfieldtheorieswithboundaries AT ignaciosalazarlandea irreversibilityinquantumfieldtheorieswithboundaries AT gonzalotorroba irreversibilityinquantumfieldtheorieswithboundaries |