Modular zero modes and sewing the states of QFT

Abstract

We point out an important difference between continuum relativistic quantum field theory (QFT) and lattice models with dramatic consequences for the theory of multi-partite entanglement. On a lattice given a collection of density matrices ρ(1), ρ(2), ⋯, ρ(n) there is no guarantee that there exists an n-partite pure state |Ω〉12⋯n that reduces to these marginals. The state |Ω〉12⋯n exists only if the eigenvalues of the density matrices ρ(i) satisfy certain polygon inequalities. We show that in QFT, as opposed to lattice systems, splitting the space into n non-overlapping regions any collection of local states ω(1), ω(2), ⋯ ω(n) come from the restriction of a global pure state. The reason is that rotating any local state ω(i) by unitary Ui localized in the ith region we come arbitrarily close to any other local state ψ(i). We construct explicit examples of such local unitaries using the cocycle.