Quantum Local Quench, AdS/BCFT and Yo-Yo String

We propose a holographic model for local quench in 1+1 dimensional Conformal Field Theory (CFT). The local quench is produced by joining two identical CFT's on semi-infinite lines. When these theories have a zero boundary entropy, we use the AdS/Boundary CFT proposal to describe this process in terms of bulk physics. Boundaries of the original CFT's are extended in AdS as dynamical surfaces. In our holographic picture these surfaces detach from the boundary and form a closed folded string which can propagate in the bulk. The dynamics of this string is governed by the tensionless Yo-Yo string solution and its subsequent evolution determines the time dependence after quench. We use this model to calculate holographic Entanglement Entropy (EE) of an interval as a function of time. We propose how the falling string deforms Ryu-Takayanagi's curves. Using the deformed curves we calculate EE and find complete agreement with field theory results.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, discussion improved, Version to appear in JHE

Energy of Decomposition and Entanglement Thermodynamics for T2T^2-deformation

We have presented a set of laws of entanglement thermodynamics for $T\bar{T}$-deformed CFTs and in general for $T^2$-deformed field theories. In particular, the first law of this set, states that although we are dealing with a non-trivial deformed theory, the change of the entanglement entropy is simply translated to the change of the bending energy of the entangling surface. We interpret this energy as the energy of decomposition. Probing the whole spectrum of the deformed theory, a second law also results, which suggests an inequality that the first law is derived from its saturation limit. We explain that this second law guarantees the preservation of the unitarity bound. The thermodynamical form of these laws requires us to define the temperature of deformation and express its characteristics, which is the subject of the third law. We use a holographic approach in this analysis and in each case, we consider the generalization to higher dimensions.Comment: 16 pages, References adde

What surface maximizes entanglement entropy?

For a given quantum field theory, provided the area of the entangling surface is fixed, what surface maximizes entanglement entropy? We analyze the answer to this question in four and higher dimensions. Surprisingly, in four dimensions the answer is related to a mathematical problem of finding surfaces which minimize the Willmore (bending) energy and eventually to the Willmore conjecture. We propose a generalization of the Willmore energy in higher dimensions and analyze its minimizers in a general class of topologies $S^m\times S^n$ and make certain observations and conjectures which may have some mathematical significance.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures; V2: typos fixed, Refs. adde

Fermions, boundaries and conformal and chiral anomalies in d=3, 4d=3,\ 4 and 55 dimensions

In the presence of boundaries, the quantum anomalies acquire additional boundary terms. In odd dimensions the integrated conformal anomaly, for which the bulk contribution is known to be absent, is non-trivial due to the boundary terms. These terms became a subject of active study in the recent years. In the present paper we continue our previous study [1], [2] and compute explicitly the anomaly for fermions in dimensions $d=3, \ 4 \$ and $5$. The calculation in dimension $5$ is new. It contains both contributions of the gravitational field and the gauge fields to the anomaly. In dimensions $d=3$ and $4$ we reproduce and clarify the derivation of the results available in the literature. Imposing the conformal invariant mixed boundary conditions for fermions in odd dimension $d$ we particularly pay attention to the necessity of choosing the doubling representation for gamma matrices. In this representation there exists a possibility to define chirality and thus address the question of the chiral anomaly. The anomaly is entirely due to terms defined on the boundary. They are calculated in the present paper in dimensions $d=3$ and $5$ due to both gravitational and gauge fields. To complete the picture we re-evaluate the chiral anomaly in $4$ dimensions and find a new boundary term that is supplementary to the well-known Pontryagin term.Comment: 32 page