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arXiv:0905.2562 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Entanglement entropy in free quantum field theory

Horacio Casini, Marina Huerta

Published Dec 2, 2009• 750 citations
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Abstract

In this review we first introduce the general methods to calculate the entanglement entropy for free fields, within the Euclidean and the real time formalisms. Then we describe the particular examples which have been worked out explicitly in two, three and more dimensions.
DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/42/50/504007

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First, we study the entanglement entropy S AB of a d + 1 dimensional massless free scalar field on two disjoint compact spatial regions A and B whose sizes are R 1 and R 2 , respectively, and the distance between them is r.The state of the massless free scalar field is the vacuum state.We consider the mutual information S A;B ≡ S A + S B -S AB where S A and S B are the entanglement entropy on the inside region of A and B, respectively.We develop the computational method based on that of Bombelli et al and obtain the result thatWhen A and B are spheres in d = 2 and 3, we obtain explicit resultsBy using the method used in the Minkowski spacetime case with some modifications, we study the entanglement entropy, S C , of the massless free scalar field on the outside region C of two black holes A and B whose radii are R 1 and R 2 and how it depends on the distance, r( R 1 , R 2 ) , between two black holes.If we can consider the entanglement entropy as thermodynamic entropy, we can see the entropic force (we call this entanglement entropic force) acting on the two black holes from the r dependence of S C .We consider the property of the entropic force.