Dimensional Conformal Field Theory Research Articles

Evolution operators in conformal field theories and conformal mappings: Entanglement Hamiltonian, the sine-square deformation, and others

By making use of conformal mapping, we construct various time-evolution operators in (1+1) dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs), which take the form $\int dx\, f(x) \mathcal{H}(x)$, where $\mathcal{H}(x)$ is the Hamiltonian density of the CFT, and $f(x)$ is an envelope function. Examples of such deformed evolution operators include the entanglement Hamiltonian, and the so-called sine-square deformation of the CFT. Within our construction, the spectrum and the (finite-size) scaling of the level spacing of the deformed evolution operator are known exactly. Based on our construction, we also propose a regularized version of the sine-square deformation, which, in contrast to the original sine-square deformation, has the spectrum of the CFT defined on a spatial circle of finite circumference $L$, and for which the level spacing scales as $1/L^2$, once the circumference of the circle and the regularization parameter are suitably adjusted.

Entanglement entropy after a partial projective measurement in 1 + 1 dimensional conformal field theories: exact results

We calculate analytically the Rényi bipartite entanglement entropy of the ground state of 1 + 1 dimensional conformal field theories (CFT) after performing a projective measurement in part of the system. We show that the entanglement entropy in this setup is dependent on the central charge and the operator content of the system. When the measurement region A separates the two parts B and , the entanglement entropy between B and decreases like a power-law with respect to the characteristic distance between the two regions with an exponent which is dependent on the rank α of the Rényi entanglement entropy and the smallest scaling dimension present in the system. We check our findings by making numerical calculations on the Klein–Gordon field theory (coupled harmonic oscillators) after fixing the position (partial measurement) of some of the oscillators. We also comment on the post-measurement entanglement entropy in the massive quantum field theories.

Critical behavior of su(1|1) supersymmetric spin chains with long-range interactions.

We introduce a general class of su(1|1) supersymmetric spin chains with long-range interactions which includes as particular cases the su(1|1) Inozemtsev (elliptic) and Haldane-Shastry chains, as well as the XX model. We show that this class of models can be fermionized with the help of the algebraic properties of the su(1|1) permutation operator and take advantage of this fact to analyze their quantum criticality when a chemical potential term is present in the Hamiltonian. We first study the low-energy excitations and the low-temperature behavior of the free energy, which coincides with that of a (1+1)-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) with central charge c=1 when the chemical potential lies in the critical interval (0,E(π)), E(p) being the dispersion relation. We also analyze the von Neumann and Rényi ground state entanglement entropies, showing that they exhibit the logarithmic scaling with the size of the block of spins characteristic of a one-boson (1+1)-dimensional CFT. Our results thus show that the models under study are quantum critical when the chemical potential belongs to the critical interval, with central charge c=1. From the analysis of the fermion density at zero temperature, we also conclude that there is a quantum phase transition at both ends of the critical interval. This is further confirmed by the behavior of the fermion density at finite temperature, which is studied analytically (at low temperature), as well as numerically for the su(1|1) elliptic chain.

Quantum quenches in 1 + 1 dimensional conformal field theories

We review the imaginary time path integral approach to the quench dynamics of conformal field theories. We show how this technique can be applied to the determination of the time dependence of correlation functions and entanglement entropy for both global and local quenches. We also briefly review other quench protocols. We carefully discuss the limits of applicability of these results to realistic models of condensed matter and cold atoms.

Extended First Law for Entanglement Entropy in Lovelock Gravity

The first law for the holographic entanglement entropy of spheres in a boundary CFT (Conformal Field Theory) with a bulk Lovelock dual is extended to include variations of the bulk Lovelock coupling constants. Such variations in the bulk correspond to perturbations within a family of boundary CFTs. The new contribution to the first law is found to be the product of the variation δ a of the “A”-type trace anomaly coefficient for even dimensional CFTs, or more generally its extension δ a * to include odd dimensional boundaries, times the ratio S / a * . Since a * is a measure of the number of degrees of freedom N per unit volume of the boundary CFT, this new term has the form μ δ N , where the chemical potential μ is given by the entanglement entropy per degree of freedom.

Vacuum decay in CFT and the Riemann–Hilbert problem

We study vacuum stability in 1+1 dimensional Conformal Field Theories with external background fields. We show that the vacuum decay rate is given by a non-local two-form. This two-form is a boundary term that must be added to the effective in/out Lagrangian. The two-form is expressed in terms of a Riemann–Hilbert decomposition for background gauge fields, and its novel “functional” version in the gravitational case.

BPS/CFT correspondence: non-perturbative Dyson-Schwinger equations and qq-characters

We study symmetries of quantum field theories involving topologically distinct sectors of the field space. To exhibit these symmetries we define special gauge invariant observables, which we call the $qq$-characters. In the context of the BPS/CFT correspondence, using these observables, we derive an infinite set of Dyson-Schwinger-type relations. These relations imply that the supersymmetric partition functions in the presence of $\Omega$-deformation and defects obey the Ward identities of two dimensional conformal field theory and its $q$-deformations. The details will be discussed in the companion papers.

Seed conformal blocks in 4D CFT

We compute in closed analytical form the minimal set of "seed" conformal blocks associated to the exchange of generic mixed symmetry spinor/tensor operators in an arbitrary representation (l,\bar l) of the Lorentz group in four dimensional conformal field theories. These blocks arise from 4-point functions involving two scalars, one (0,|l-\bar l|) and one (|l-\bar l|,0) spinors or tensors. We directly solve the set of Casimir equations, that can elegantly be written in a compact form for any (l,\bar l), by using an educated ansatz and reducing the problem to an algebraic linear system. Various details on the form of the ansatz have been deduced by using the so called shadow formalism. The complexity of the conformal blocks depends on the value of p=|l-\bar l | and grows with p, in analogy to what happens to scalar conformal blocks in d even space-time dimensions as d increases. These results open the way to bootstrap 4-point functions involving arbitrary spinor/tensor operators in four dimensional conformal field theories.

Flavour fields in steady state: stress tensor and free energy

The dynamics of a probe brane in a given gravitational background is governed by the Dirac-Born-Infeld action. The corresponding open string metric arises naturally in studying the fluctuations on the probe. In Gauge-String duality, it is known that in the presence of a constant electric field on the worldvolume of the probe, the open string metric acquires an event horizon and therefore the fluctuation modes on the probe experience an effective temperature. In this article, we bring together various properties of such a system to a formal definition and a subsequent narration of the effective thermodynamics and the stress tensor of the corresponding flavour fields, also including a non-vanishing chemical potential. In doing so, we point out a potentially infinitely-degenerate scheme-dependence of regularizing the free energy, which nevertheless yields a universal contribution in certain cases. This universal piece appears as the coefficient of a log-divergence in free energy when a space-filling probe brane is embedded in AdS$_{d+1}$-background, for $d=2, 4$, and is related to conformal anomaly. For the special case of $d=2$, the universal factor has a striking resemblance to the well-known heat current formula in $(1+1)$-dimensional conformal field theory in steady-state, which endows a plausible physical interpretation to it. Interestingly, we observe a vanishing conformal anomaly in $d=6$.

Entanglement entropy in warped conformal field theories

We present a detailed discussion of entanglement entropy in (1+1)-dimensional Warped Conformal Field Theories (WCFTs). We implement the Rindler method to evaluate entanglement and Renyi entropies for a single interval and along the way we interpret our results in terms of twist field correlation functions. Holographically a WCFT can be described in terms of Lower Spin Gravity, a SL(2,R)xU(1) Chern-Simons theory in three dimensions. We show how to obtain the universal field theory results for entanglement in a WCFT via holography. For the geometrical description of the theory we introduce the concept of geodesic and massive point particles in the warped geometry associated to Lower Spin Gravity. In the Chern-Simons description we evaluate the appropriate Wilson line that captures the dynamics of a massive particle.

Supersymmetric Renyi entropy in CFT 2 and AdS 3

We show that in any two dimensional conformal field theory with (2, 2) supersymmetry one can define a supersymmetric analog of the usual Renyi entropy of a spatial region A. It differs from the Renyi entropy by a universal function (which we compute) of the central charge, Renyi parameter n and the geometric parameters of A. In the limit $n \to1$ it coincides with the entanglement entropy. Thus, it contains the same information as the Renyi entropy but its computation only involves correlation functions of chiral and anti-chiral operators. We also show that this quantity appears naturally in string theory on $AdS_3$.

Gravity as a four dimensional algebraic quantum field theory

Based on a family of indefinite unitary representations of the diffeomorphism group of an oriented smooth $4$-manifold, a manifestly covariant $4$ dimensional and non-perturbative algebraic quantum field theory formulation of gravity is exhibited. More precisely among the bounded linear operators acting on these representation spaces we identify algebraic curvature tensors hence a net of local quantum observables can be constructed from $C^*$-algebras generated by local curvature tensors and vector fields. This algebraic quantum field theory is extracted from structures provided by an oriented smooth $4$-manifold only hence possesses a diffeomorphism symmetry. In this way classical general relativity exactly in $4$ dimensions naturally embeds into a quantum framework. Several Hilbert space representations of the theory are found. First a "tautological representation" of the limiting global $C^*$-algebra is constructed allowing to associate to any oriented smooth $4$-manifold a von Neumann algebra in a canonical fashion. Secondly, influenced by the Dougan--Mason approach to gravitational quasilocal energy-momentum, we construct certain representations what we call "positive mass representations" with unbroken diffeomorphism symmetry. Thirdly, we also obtain "classical representaions" with spontaneously broken diffeomorphism symmetry corresponding to the classical limit of the theory which turns out to be general relativity. Finally we observe that the whole family of "positive mass representations" comprise a $2$ dimensional conformal field theory in the sense of G. Segal.

Logarithmic corrections to the entanglement entropy

In a $d$-dimensional conformal field theory, it has been known that a relevant deformation operator with the conformal dimension, $\Delta=\frac{d+2}{2}$, generates a logarithmic correction to the entanglement entropy. In the large 't Hooft coupling limit, we can investigate such a logarithmic correction holographically by deforming an AdS space with a massive scalar field dual to the operator with $\Delta=\frac{d+2}{2}$. There are two sources generating the logarithmic correction. One is the metric deformation and the other is the minimal surface deformation. In this work, we investigate the change of the entanglement entropy caused by the minimal surface deformation and find that the second order minimal surface deformation leads to an additional logarithmic correction.

Universal entanglement for higher dimensional cones

The entanglement entropy of a generic $d$-dimensional conformal field theory receives a regulator independent contribution when the entangling region contains a (hyper)conical singularity of opening angle $\Omega$, codified in a function $a^{(d)}(\Omega)$. In arXiv:1505.04804, we proposed that for three-dimensional conformal field theories, the coefficient $\sigma$ characterizing the smooth surface limit of such contribution ($\Omega\rightarrow \pi$) equals the stress tensor two-point function charge $C_{ T}$, up to a universal constant. In this paper, we prove this relation for general three-dimensional holographic theories, and extend the result to general dimensions. In particular, we show that a generalized coefficient $\sigma^{ (d)}$ can be defined for (hyper)conical entangling regions in the almost smooth surface limit, and that this coefficient is universally related to $C_{ T}$ for general holographic theories, providing a general formula for the ratio $\sigma^{ (d)}/C_{ T}$ in arbitrary dimensions. We conjecture that the latter ratio is universal for general CFTs. Further, based on our recent results in arXiv:1507.06997, we propose an extension of this relation to general R\'enyi entropies, which we show passes several consistency checks in $d=4$ and $d=6$.

Flowing to higher dimensions: a new strongly-coupled phase on M2 branes

We describe a one-parameter family of new holographic RG flows that start from $AdS_4 \times S^7$ and go to $\widehat{AdS_5} \times {\cal B}_6$, where ${\cal B}_6$ is conformal to a K\"ahler manifold and $\widehat{AdS_5}$ is Poincar\'e $AdS_5$ with one spatial direction compactified and fibered over ${\cal B}_6$. The new solutions "flow up dimensions," going from the $(2+1)$-dimensional conformal field theory on M2 branes in the UV to a $(3+1)$-dimensional field theory on intersecting M5 branes in the infra-red. The M2 branes completely polarize into M5 branes along the flow and the Poincar\'e sections of the $\widehat{AdS_5}$ are the $(3+1)$-dimensional common intersection of the M5 branes. The emergence of the extra dimension in the infra-red suggests a new strongly-coupled phase of the M2 brane and ABJM theories in which charged solitons are becoming massless. The flow solution is first analyzed by finding a four-dimensional $N \! = \! 2$ supersymmetric flow in $N \! = \! 8$ gauged supergravity. This is then generalized to a one parameter family of non-supersymmetric flows. The infra-red limit of the solutions appears to be quite singular in four dimensions but the uplift to eleven-dimensional supergravity is remarkable and regular (up to orbifolding). Our construction is a non-trivial application of the recently derived uplift formulae for fluxes, going well beyond the earlier constructions of stationary points solutions. The eleven-dimensional supersymmetry is also analyzed and shows how, for the supersymmetric flow, the M2-brane supersymmetry in the UV is polarized entirely into M5-brane supersymmetry in the infra-red.

Entanglement entropy for descendent local operators in 2D CFTs

We mainly study the Renyi entropy and entanglement entropy of the states locally excited by the descendent operators in two dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). In rational CFTs, we prove that the increase of entanglement entropy and Renyi entropy for a class of descendent operators, which are generated by $$ {\mathrm{\mathcal{L}}}^{\left(-\right)}{\overline{\mathrm{\mathcal{L}}}}^{\left(-\right)} $$ onto the primary operator, always coincide with the logarithmic of quantum dimension of the corresponding primary operator. That means the Renyi entropy and entanglement entropy for these descendent operators are the same as the ones of their corresponding primary operator. For 2D rational CFTs with a boundary, we confirm that the Renyi entropy always coincides with the logarithmic of quantum dimension of the primary operator during some periods of the evolution. Furthermore, we consider more general descendent operators generated by $$ {\displaystyle \sum {d}_{\left\{{n}_i\right\}\left\{{n}_j\right\}}\left({\displaystyle {\prod}_i{L}_{-}{{}_n}_{{}_i}{\displaystyle {\prod}_j{{\overline{L}}_{-n}}_{{}_j}}}\right)} $$ on the primary operator. For these operators, the entanglement entropy and Renyi entropy get additional corrections, as the mixing of holomorphic and anti-holomorphic Virasoro generators enhance the entanglement. Finally, we employ perturbative CFT techniques to evaluate the Renyi entropy of the excited operators in deformed CFT. The Renyi and entanglement entropies are increased, and get contributions not only from local excited operators but also from global deformation of the theory.

Entanglement constant for conformal families

We show that in 1+1 dimensional conformal field theories, exciting a state with a local operator increases the Renyi entanglement entropies by a constant which is the same for every member of the conformal family. Hence, it is an intrinsic parameter that characterises local operators from the perspective of quantum entanglement. In rational conformal field theories this constant corresponds to the logarithm of the quantum dimension of the primary operator. We provide several detailed examples for the second Renyi entropies and a general derivation.

Entanglement scrambling in 2d conformal field theory

We investigate how entanglement spreads in time-dependent states of a 1+1 dimensional conformal field theory (CFT). The results depend qualitatively on the value of the central charge. In rational CFTs, which have central charge below a critical value, entanglement entropy behaves as if correlations were carried by free quasiparticles. This leads to long-term memory effects, such as spikes in the mutual information of widely separated regions at late times. When the central charge is above the critical value, the quasiparticle picture fails. Assuming no extended symmetry algebra, any theory with $c>1$ has diminished memory effects compared to the rational models. In holographic CFTs, with $c \gg 1$, these memory effects are eliminated altogether at strong coupling, but reappear after the scrambling time $t \gtrsim \beta \log c$ at weak coupling.

Entanglement negativity after a local quantum quench in conformal field theories

We study the time evolution of the entanglement negativity after a local quantum quench in (1+1)-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs), which we introduce by suddenly joining two initially decoupled CFTs at their endpoints. We calculate the negativity evolution for both adjacent intervals and disjoint intervals explicitly. For two adjacent intervals, the entanglement negativity grows logarithmically in time right after the quench. After developing a plateau-like feature, the entanglement negativity drops to the ground-state value. For the case of two spatially separated intervals, a light-cone behavior is observed in the negativity evolution; in addition, a long-range entanglement, which is independent of the distance between two intervals, can be created. Our results agree with the heuristic picture that quasiparticles, which carry entanglement, are emitted from the joining point and propagate freely through the system. Our analytical results are confirmed by numerical calculations based on a critical harmonic chain.

Post-measurement bipartite entanglement entropy in conformal field theories

We derive exact formulas for bipartite von Neumann entanglement entropy after partial projective local measurement in $1+1$ dimensional conformal field theories with periodic and open boundary conditions. After defining the set up we will check numerically the validity of our results in the case of Klein-Gordon field theory (coupled harmonic oscillators) and spin-$1/2$ XX chain in a magnetic field. The agreement between analytical results and the numerical calculations is very good. We also find a lower bound for localizable entanglement in coupled harmonic oscillators.