Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1910.07449 · Journal of High Energy Physics

Target space entanglement entropy

Edward A. Mazenc, Daniel Ranard

Published Mar 16, 2023• 28 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract We define a notion of target space entanglement entropy. Rather than partitioning the base space on which the theory is defined, we consider partitions of the target space. This is the physical case of interest for first-quantized theories, such as worldsheet string theory. We associate to each subregion of the target space a suitably chosen subalgebra of observables $$ \mathcal{A} $$ A . The entanglement entropy is calculated as the entropy of the density matrix restricted to $$ \mathcal{A} $$ A . As an example, we illustrate our framework by computing spatial entanglement in first-quantized many-body quantum mechanics. The algebra $$ \mathcal{A} $$ A is chosen to reproduce the entanglement entropy obtained by embedding the state in the fixed particle sub-sector of the second-quantized Hilbert space. We then generalize our construction to the quantum field-theoretical setting.

DOI
10.1007/jhep03(2023)111

Related papers

Target Space Entanglement in Quantum Mechanics of Fermions and Matrices

Sotaro Sugishita

Quantum entanglement is closely related to the structure of spacetime in quantum gravity. For quantum field theories or statistical models, we usually consider base space entanglement. However, target space instead of base space sometimes directly connects to our spacetime. In these cases, it is natural to consider a concept of target space entanglement. To define the target space entanglement, we consider a generalized definition of entanglement entropy based on an algebraic approach. This approach is reviewed and is applied to the first quantized particles, in particular, fermions. This article is based on the paper JHEP 08 (2021) 046 [arXiv:2105.13726].

arXiv:2202.01626•Jun 1, 2022•2 citations

Remarks on entanglement entropy in string theory

Vijay Balasubramanian, Onkar Parrikar

Entanglement entropy for spatial subregions is difficult to define in string theory because of the extended nature of strings. Here we propose a definition for bosonic open strings using the framework of string field theory. The key difference (compared to ordinary quantum field theory) is that the subregion is chosen inside a Cauchy surface in the ``space of open string configurations.'' We first present a simple calculation of this entanglement entropy in free light-cone string field theory, ignoring subtleties related to the factorization of the Hilbert space. We reproduce the answer expected from an effective field theory point of view, namely a sum over the one-loop entanglement entropies corresponding to all the particle-excitations of the string, and further show that the full string theory regulates ultraviolet divergences in the entanglement entropy. We then revisit the question of factorization of the Hilbert space by analyzing the covariant phase-space associated with a subregion in Witten's covariant string field theory. We show that the pure gauge (i.e., BRST exact) modes in the string field become dynamical at the entanglement cut. Thus, a proper definition of the entropy must involve an extended Hilbert space, with new stringy edge modes localized at the entanglement cut.

arXiv:1801.03517•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Mar 28, 2018•32 citations

Comments on entanglement entropy in the c = 1 string theory

Ben Craps, Marius Gerbershagen, Maxim Pavlov +1 more

A bstract We study entanglement entropy in the low-energy effective field theory of two-dimensional string theory as well as in the singlet sector of the dual c = 1 matrix quantum mechanics. From the target space perspective, we argue that a generic bulk subregion is expected to have an associated generalized entanglement entropy combining a dilaton-dependent gravitational term and a matter contribution coming from the tachyon, extending the construction from black hole horizons to arbitrary subregions. Motivated by the absence of the gravitational area-like term in previous analyses of entanglement entropy in the c = 1 model, we compute the effect on the entanglement entropy of the nonlocal transformation induced by the leg-pole factor that relates the target space tachyon and the matrix model collective excitations, finding that it cannot account for the area-like term. We offer preliminary comments on the possible origin of the area term in the non-singlet sectors of the theory.

Journal of High Energy Physics•Sep 1, 2026•0 citations

Target space entanglement in quantum mechanics of fermions and matrices

Sotaro Sugishita

Abstract We consider entanglement of first-quantized identical particles by adopting an algebraic approach. In particular, we investigate fermions whose wave functions are given by the Slater determinants, as for singlet sectors of one-matrix models. We show that the upper bounds of the general Rényi entropies are N log 2 for N particles or an N × N matrix. We compute the target space entanglement entropy and the mutual information in a free one-matrix model. We confirm the area law: the single-interval entropy for the ground state scales as $$ \frac{1}{3} $$ 1 3 log N in the large N model. We obtain an analytical $$ \mathcal{O}\left({N}^0\right) $$ O N 0 expression of the mutual information for two intervals in the large N expansion.

arXiv:2105.13726•Journal of High Energy Physics•Aug 10, 2021•12 citations

A perturbative expansion for entanglement entropy in string theory

Andrea Prudenziati

We derive a perturbative expansion for space time entanglement entropy in string theory by comparing replica trick constructions on the target space and on the worldsheet. Requiring the two approaches to match implies a set of constrains on the amplitudes involved and produces a non-trivial relation among target space and world sheet entanglement. We will be mainly interested in bosonic string on a flat background but also discuss the superstring generalization.

arXiv:1805.09311•Nuclear Physics B•May 3, 2019•4 citations

Aspects of entanglement entropy for gauge theories

Ronak M Soni, Sandip P. Trivedi

A definition for the entanglement entropy in a gauge theory was given recently in arXiv:1501.02593. Working on a spatial lattice, it involves embedding the physical state in an extended Hilbert space obtained by taking the tensor product of the Hilbert space of states on each link of the lattice. This extended Hilbert space admits a tensor product decomposition by definition and allows a density matrix and entanglement entropy for the set of links of interest to be defined. Here, we continue the study of this extended Hilbert space definition with particular emphasis on the case of Non-Abelian gauge theories. We extend the electric centre definition of Casini, Huerta and Rosabal to the Non-Abelian case and find that it differs in an important term. We also find that the entanglement entropy does not agree with the maximum number of Bell pairs that can be extracted by the processes of entanglement distillation or dilution, and give protocols which achieve the maximum bound. Finally, we compute the topological entanglement entropy which follows from the extended Hilbert space definition and show that it correctly reproduces the total quantum dimension in a class of Toric code models based on Non-Abelian discrete groups.

arXiv:1510.07455•Journal of High Energy Physics•Jan 1, 2016•151 citations
Abstract We define a notion of target space entanglement entropy. Rather than partitioning the base space on which the theory is defined, we consider partitions of the target space. This is the physical case of interest for first-quantized theories, such as worldsheet string theory. We associate to each subregion of the target space a suitably chosen subalgebra of observables A\mathcal{A}A A . The entanglement entropy is calculated as the entropy of the density matrix restricted to A\mathcal{A}A A . As an example, we illustrate our framework by computing spatial entanglement in first-quantized many-body quantum mechanics. The algebra A\mathcal{A}A A is chosen to reproduce the entanglement entropy obtained by embedding the state in the fixed particle sub-sector of the second-quantized Hilbert space. We then generalize our construction to the quantum field-theoretical setting.
Quantum entanglement is closely related to the structure of spacetime in quantum gravity. For quantum field theories or statistical models, we usually consider base space entanglement. However, target space instead of base space sometimes directly connects to our spacetime. In these cases, it is natural to consider a concept of target space entanglement. To define the target space entanglement, we consider a generalized definition of entanglement entropy based on an algebraic approach. This approach is reviewed and is applied to the first quantized particles, in particular, fermions. This article is based on the paper JHEP 08 (2021) 046 [arXiv:2105.13726].
Entanglement entropy for spatial subregions is difficult to define in string theory because of the extended nature of strings. Here we propose a definition for bosonic open strings using the framework of string field theory. The key difference (compared to ordinary quantum field theory) is that the subregion is chosen inside a Cauchy surface in the ``space of open string configurations.'' We first present a simple calculation of this entanglement entropy in free light-cone string field theory, ignoring subtleties related to the factorization of the Hilbert space. We reproduce the answer expected from an effective field theory point of view, namely a sum over the one-loop entanglement entropies corresponding to all the particle-excitations of the string, and further show that the full string theory regulates ultraviolet divergences in the entanglement entropy. We then revisit the question of factorization of the Hilbert space by analyzing the covariant phase-space associated with a subregion in Witten's covariant string field theory. We show that the pure gauge (i.e., BRST exact) modes in the string field become dynamical at the entanglement cut. Thus, a proper definition of the entropy must involve an extended Hilbert space, with new stringy edge modes localized at the entanglement cut.
A bstract We study entanglement entropy in the low-energy effective field theory of two-dimensional string theory as well as in the singlet sector of the dual c = 1 matrix quantum mechanics. From the target space perspective, we argue that a generic bulk subregion is expected to have an associated generalized entanglement entropy combining a dilaton-dependent gravitational term and a matter contribution coming from the tachyon, extending the construction from black hole horizons to arbitrary subregions. Motivated by the absence of the gravitational area-like term in previous analyses of entanglement entropy in the c = 1 model, we compute the effect on the entanglement entropy of the nonlocal transformation induced by the leg-pole factor that relates the target space tachyon and the matrix model collective excitations, finding that it cannot account for the area-like term. We offer preliminary comments on the possible origin of the area term in the non-singlet sectors of the theory.
Abstract We consider entanglement of first-quantized identical particles by adopting an algebraic approach. In particular, we investigate fermions whose wave functions are given by the Slater determinants, as for singlet sectors of one-matrix models. We show that the upper bounds of the general Rényi entropies are N log 2 for N particles or an N × N matrix. We compute the target space entanglement entropy and the mutual information in a free one-matrix model. We confirm the area law: the single-interval entropy for the ground state scales as 13 \frac{1}{3} 31​ 1 3 log N in the large N model. We obtain an analytical O(N0) \mathcal{O}\left({N}^0\right) O(N0) O N 0 expression of the mutual information for two intervals in the large N expansion.
A definition for the entanglement entropy in a gauge theory was given recently in arXiv:1501.02593. Working on a spatial lattice, it involves embedding the physical state in an extended Hilbert space obtained by taking the tensor product of the Hilbert space of states on each link of the lattice. This extended Hilbert space admits a tensor product decomposition by definition and allows a density matrix and entanglement entropy for the set of links of interest to be defined. Here, we continue the study of this extended Hilbert space definition with particular emphasis on the case of Non-Abelian gauge theories. We extend the electric centre definition of Casini, Huerta and Rosabal to the Non-Abelian case and find that it differs in an important term. We also find that the entanglement entropy does not agree with the maximum number of Bell pairs that can be extracted by the processes of entanglement distillation or dilution, and give protocols which achieve the maximum bound. Finally, we compute the topological entanglement entropy which follows from the extended Hilbert space definition and show that it correctly reproduces the total quantum dimension in a class of Toric code models based on Non-Abelian discrete groups.