Published February 4, 2011 | Version v1
Journal article

Some Calculable Contributions to Entanglement Entropy

  • 1. KIPAC and SITP, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)
  • 2. Center for Theoretical Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

Description

Entanglement entropy appears as a central property of quantum systems in broad areas of physics. However, its precise value is often sensitive to unknown microphysics, rendering it incalculable. By considering parametric dependence on correlation length, we extract finite, calculable contributions to the entanglement entropy for a scalar field between the interior and exterior of a spatial domain of arbitrary shape. The leading term is proportional to the area of the dividing boundary; we also extract finite subleading contributions for a field defined in the bulk interior of a waveguide in 3+1 dimensions, including terms proportional to the waveguide's cross-sectional geometry: its area, perimeter length, and integrated curvature. We also consider related quantities at criticality and suggest a class of systems for which these contributions might be measurable.

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review Letters
Journal Volume
106
Journal Issue
5
Journal Page Range
p. 050404-050404.4
ISSN
0031-9007
CODEN
PRLTAO

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
Syrian Arab Republic
INIS RN
43011788
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
CORRELATIONS; ENTROPY; LENGTH; QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT; SCALAR FIELDS; SHAPE; SPACE DEPENDENCE; WAVEGUIDES
Descriptors DEC
DIMENSIONS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2011 American Institute of Physics