We prove a version of the data-processing inequality for the relative entropy for general von Neumann algebras with an explicit lower bound involving the measured relative entropy. The inequality, which generalizes previous work by Sutter et al. on finite-dimensional density matrices, yields a bound for how well a quantum state can be recovered after it has been passed through a channel. Some natural applications of our results are in quantum field theory where the von Neumann algebras are known to be of type III. Along the way we generalize various multi-trace inequalities to general von Neumann algebras.
Abstract The relative entropy of certain states on the algebra of canonical anticommutation relations (CAR) is studied in the present work. The CAR algebra is used to describe fermionic degrees of freedom in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. The states for which the relative entropy is investigated are multi-excitation states (similar to multi-particle states) with respect to KMS states defined with respect to a time-evolution induced by a unitary dynamical group on the one-particle Hilbert space of the CAR algebra. If the KMS state is quasifree, the relative entropy of multi-excitation states can be explicitly calculated in terms of 2-point functions, which are defined entirely by the one-particle Hilbert space defining the CAR algebra and the Hamilton operator of the dynamical group on the one-particle Hilbert space. This applies also in the case that the one-particle Hilbert space Hamilton operator has a continuous spectrum so that the relative entropy of multi-excitation states cannot be defined in terms of von Neumann entropies. The results obtained here for the relative entropy of multi-excitation states on the CAR algebra can be viewed as counterparts of results for the relative entropy of coherent states on the algebra of canonical commutation relations which have appeared recently. It turns out to be useful to employ the setting of a self-dual CAR algebra introduced by Araki.
We develop an operator-algebraic framework for modular self-duality, symmetrized relative entropy, and Bogoliubov--Kubo--Mori (BKM) susceptibility of local states in quantum field theory. In finite dimensions, modular self-duality singles out fixed points at which a state coincides with its modularly reflected partner. At such points, the natural comparison functional is the symmetrized Umegaki relative entropy. It vanishes at coincidence, and its Hessian is governed by the BKM quantum Fisher information along the reflected tangent direction. We then extend this fixed-point construction to the local type~III von Neumann algebras that arise in quantum field theory. Here, a local state is compared with the modular pullback of its commutant restriction, and the intrinsic comparison functional is the symmetrized Araki relative entropy. For sufficiently regular state deformations, the fixed-localization Hessian at the self-dual point defines a type~III BKM susceptibility. This coefficient is obtained by evaluating the BKM bilinear form on the tangent selected by the modular pairing. Exact coherent-state realizations are obtained for the free scalar field on wedge algebras and for the chiral
U(1) current on half-line algebras. In both examples, the comparison functional is exactly quadratic in the deformation parameter, and the susceptibility coefficients admit explicit boost-energy, stress-tensor, or half-line integral representations. We also apply the construction to a ball-shaped boundary region in the vacuum state of a conformal field theory with a semiclassical anti-de Sitter (AdS) gravitational dual. For linear bulk coherent excitations in an exact complementary-recovery model of this sector, bulk--boundary modular intertwining identifies the modular partner with the AdS--Rindler-reflected coherent state, and the symmetrized relative entropy is exactly quadratic.
The relative entropy between two states is a key concept in quantum information theory and quantum field theory. In the setting of quantum field theory, its computation requires the handling of relative modular Hamiltonians, which are typically very difficult to compute explicitly. In this paper, we exploit locality properties of general algebraic QFTs to estimate relative modular Hamiltonians between two states,
ω and
ω~, and hence also their relative entropy, in terms of the modular Hamiltonian of a reference state
ω^, which might be better understood. For suitable pairs of states we can estimate the relative modular Hamiltonian for the algebra of a region
V2 from above, resp. from below, in terms of the modular Hamiltonian of
ω^ on a larger region
V3, resp. a smaller region
V1. Pairs of states and choices of regions which are susceptible to our scheme are related to the presence of superluminal signalling in the sense of Sorkin's paradox. If
ω=ω^, then there exists a unitary that maps
ω to
ω~ on
V3 and that does not allow superluminal signalling from the spacelike complement
V3′ to
V2, resp. from
V1 to
V2′, if our upper, resp. lower, bound applies. To investigate the strength of our estimates we consider coherent states for CCR systems, focussing particularly on free scalar fields. Our estimates apply even if the relative modular Hamiltonian cannot be computed exactly. For sufficiently regular excitations we recover an exact result by squeezing. Our method thus yields an independent proof for the relative entropy formula in cases where the relative modular Hamiltonian cannot be computed exactly. For massless fields we establish the analogous result also for double cone regions. These results indicate that our estimates do not lose too much information.
We prove a generalized quantum Stein lemma for i.i.d. normal states against convex, tensor-stable families on arbitrary von Neumann algebras. Assuming the existence of an alternative state with finite relative entropy from the null state, we show that, at every type-I error tolerance
ε∈(0,1), the worst case type-II error exponent is achieved with the regularized relative entropy with a strong converse. The proof combines the integral representation of relative entropy by hockey-stick divergences, a modular testing bound, and convex minimax argument.