arXiv subjects

Christian Northe

Publications and source records attributed to Christian Northe.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Entanglement in Presence of Topological Interfaces and Dualities

Entanglement through interfaces has attracted considerable attention in 2d conformal field theory (CFT). However, it is known that field-theoretic predictions based on the existing framework are in general incompatible with numerical results [1-4]. A new framework for entanglement through topological defects was recently proposed in [5]. It provides a general description of entanglement through topological defects and successfully reproduces the numerical results for the Ising model in all tested cases and regimes. The key insight is that the relevant quantum correlations are encoded in twisted states, allowing for the construction of the full reduced density matrix (RDM). In this work we pursue two objectives. First, we provide new examples by studying defects in the free boson CFT. Second, we extend the framework to topological interfaces connecting two, possibly distinct, CFTs. Of particular interest are interfaces relating dual theories. We show that the reduced density matrix for a duality interface is the projection of the vacuum reduced density matrix onto a single symmetry sector, closely paralleling the framework of symmetry resolution. Unlike symmetry resolution, however, the projection is imposed by the physical interface itself, demonstrating that duality interfaces reflect quantum correlations back into the entangling interval. We establish this mechanism for diagonal and non-diagonal rational CFTs as well as the free boson CFT. Relative entropy allows us to quantify the distinguishability of the duality interface RDM from the vacuum RDM.

hep-th↗

arXiv2025

Entanglement Through Topological Defects: Reconciling Theory with Numerics

Present theoretical predictions for the entanglement entropy through topological defects are violated by numerical simulations. In order to resolve this, we introduce a paradigm shift in the preparation of reduced density matrices in the presence of topological defects, and emphasize the role of defect networks with which they can be dressed. We consider the cases of grouplike and duality defects in detail for the Ising model, and find agreement with all numerically found entanglement entropies. Since our construction functions at the level of reduced density matrices, it accounts for topological defects beyond the entanglement entropy to other entanglement measures.

hep-th↗

arXiv2025

Fermion Parity Resolution of Entanglement

Entanglement is analyzed in the Majorana fermion conformal field theory (CFT) in the vacuum, in the fermion state, and in states built from conformal interfaces. In the boundary-state approach, the Hilbert space admits two factorizations for a single interval, producing distinct entanglement spectra determined by spin structures. Although R\'enyi and relative entropies are shown to be insensitive to these structures, symmetry-resolved entanglement naturally reveals their differences. The Majorana fermion's $\mathbb{Z}_2^F$ symmetry, generated by the fermion-parity operator $(-1)^F$, distinguishes bosonic from fermionic sectors, motivating the notion of fermion-parity resolution. While $\mathbb{Z}_2^F$ is naturally a symmetry of the vacuum and fermion reduced density matrices, the Hilbert space factorization is shown to stabilize this symmetry in conformal interface states. When an unpaired Majorana zero mode is present, fermion-parity-resolved entropies display equipartition at all orders in the UV cutoff; in its absence, the breaking of equipartition is quantified by Ramond-sector data. This behavior persists across all states considered. Connections with symmetry-protected topological phases of matter are outlined. All results are compared with twist field computations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Spread complexity for the planar limit of holography

Complexity is a fundamental characteristic of states within a quantum system. Its use is however mostly limited to bosonic systems, inhibiting its present applicability to supersymmetric theories. This is also relevant to its application to the AdS/CFT correspondence. To address this limitation, we extend the framework of spread complexity beyond bosonic systems to include fermionic and supercoherent states. This offers a gateway to compute spread complexity analytically for any semiclassical system governed by a Hamiltonian associated with a Lie (super)algebra. This requires extending the Krylov chain to a Krylov path in a higher-dimensional lattice. A detailed analysis of supercoherent states within the super Heisenberg-Weyl and OSp$(2|1)$ algebras elucidates distinct contributions from bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom to the complexity. This generalisation allows us to access the semiclassical regime of the planar limit of the holographic correspondence. We then compute the spread complexity of large charge superstring states on the gravity side, which are equivalent to the dual gauge states. The resulting complexity leads to Krylov paths capturing the geometry in which the string propagates.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Young Researchers School 2024 Maynooth: Lectures on CFT, BCFT and DCFT

These notes were presented at the Young Researchers School (YRS) in Maynooth in April 2024 and provide an introduction to Conformal Field Theory CFT, Boundary Conformal Field Theory (BCFT) and Defect Conformal Field Theory (DCFT). This class is mostly self-contained and includes exercises with solutions. The first part of these notes is concerned with the basics of CFT, and was taught by the author during the pre-school for the YRS 2024. Here the aim is to convey the notion of conformal families, their fusion and the construction of partition functions. The second part of these notes is dedicated to boundaries and defects in CFT and was presented by the author at the main school. As far as boundaries are concerned, emphasis is placed on boundary operators and their state spaces, as well as the boundary state formalism with the Cardy constraint. Topological defects are discussed in analogy, i.e. defect state spaces and the relevant consistency constraint are derived. Verlinde lines are constructed as their simplest solution and their properties are inspected.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Entanglement spectra from holography

The entanglement spectrum of a bipartite quantum system is given by the distribution of eigenvalues of the modular Hamiltonian. In this work, we compute the entanglement spectrum in the vacuum state for a subregion of a $d$-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) admitting a holographic dual. In the case of a spherical (or planar) entangling surface, we recover known results in two dimensions, including the Cardy formula in the high energy regime. In higher dimensions $d>2$, we analytically determine a generalization of the Cardy formula valid at large energies and consistent with previous studies of CFT spectra in the literature. We also investigate numerically the spectrum at energy levels far above the modular ground state energy. We extend our analysis to the supersymmetric point of Einstein-Maxwell gravity, providing exact results when $d=2,3$, and a generalization of the Cardy formula at high energies in generic dimension $d$. We consider small shape deformations of a spherical entangling surface, for both the non-supersymmetric and the supersymmetric cases. In all cases we find that the high-energy scaling of the microcanonical entropy with the modular energy is unaffected by the shape deformation. This result suggests that the high-energy regime of the entanglement spectra carries universal information, independent of the shape of the entangling surface.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Entanglement Resolution with Respect to Conformal Symmetry

Entanglement is resolved in conformal field theory (CFT) with respect to conformal families to all orders in the UV cutoff. To leading order, symmetry-resolved entanglement is connected to the quantum dimension of a conformal family, while to all orders it depends on null vectors. Criteria for equipartition between sectors are provided in both cases. This analysis exhausts all unitary conformal families. Furthermore, topological entanglement entropy is shown to symmetry-resolve the Affleck-Ludwig boundary entropy. Configuration and fluctuation entropy are analyzed on grounds of conformal symmetry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

On the Boundary Conformal Field Theory Approach to Symmetry-Resolved Entanglement

We study the symmetry resolution of the entanglement entropy of an interval in two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs), by relating the bipartition to the geometry of an annulus with conformal boundary conditions. In the presence of extended symmetries such as Kac-Moody type current algebrae, symmetry resolution is possible only if the boundary conditions on the annulus preserve part of the symmetry group, i.e. if the factorization map associated with the spatial bipartition is compatible with the symmetry in question. The partition function of the boundary CFT (BCFT) is then decomposed in terms of the characters of the irreducible representations of the symmetry group preserved by the boundary conditions. We demonstrate that this decomposition already provides the symmetry resolution of the entanglement spectrum of the corresponding bipartition. Considering the various terms of the partition function associated with the same representation, or charge sector, the symmetry-resolved R\'enyi entropies can be derived to all orders in the UV cutoff expansion without the need to compute the charged moments. We apply this idea to the theory of a free massless boson with $U(1)$, $\mathbb{R}$ and $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

Conformal anomaly in magnetic finite temperature response of strongly interacting one-dimensional spin systems

The conformal anomaly indicates the breaking of conformal symmetry (angle-preserving transformations) in the quantum theory by quantum fluctuations and is a close cousin of the gravitational anomaly. We show, for the first time, that the conformal anomaly controls the variance of the local magnetization $M_{loc}$ at finite temperatures in spin chains and spin ladders. This effect is perceived at constant and variable temperature across the sample. The change of $M_{loc}$ induced by the conformal anomaly is of the order of 3-5\% of the maximal spin at one Kelvin for DIMPY or CuPzN and increases linearly with temperature. Further, for a temperature gradient of 10\% across the sample, the time-relaxation of the non-equilibrium $M_{loc}$ is of the order of nanoseconds. Thus, we believe that experimental techniques such as neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance~(NMR), spin noise and ultrafast laser pumping should pinpoint the presence of the conformal anomaly. Therefore, we pave the road to detect the conformal anomaly in spin observables of strongly interacting low-dimensional magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Charged Moments in $W_3$ Higher Spin Holography

We consider the charged moments in $SL(3,\mathbb{R})$ higher spin holography, as well as in the dual two-dimensional conformal field theory with $W_3$ symmetry. For the vacuum state and a single entangling interval, we show that the $W_3$ algebra of the conformal field theory induces an entanglement $W_3$ algebra acting on the quantum state in the entangling interval. The algebra contains a spin 3 modular charge which commutes with the modular Hamiltonian. The reduced density matrix is characterized by the modular energy and modular charge, hence our definition of the charged moments is also with respect to these conserved quantities. We evaluate the logarithm of the charged moments perturbatively in the spin 3 modular chemical potential, by computing the corresponding connected correlation functions of the modular charge operator up to quartic order in the chemical potential. This method provides access to the charged moments without using charged twist fields. Our result matches known results for the charged moment obtained from the charged topological black hole picture in $SL(3,\mathbb{R})$ higher spin gravity. Since our charged moments are not Gaussian in the chemical potential any longer, we conclude that the dual $W_3$ conformal field theories must feature breakdown of equipartition of entanglement to leading order in the large $c$ expansion.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

Symmetry-resolved entanglement for excited states and two entangling intervals in AdS${}_3$/CFT${}_2$

We test the proposal of arXiv:2012.11274 for the holographic computation of the charged moments and the resulting symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy in different excited states, as well as for two entangling intervals. Our holographic computations are performed in $U(1)$ Chern-Simons-Einstein-Hilbert gravity, and are confirmed by independent results in a conformal field theory at large central charge. In particular, we consider two classes of excited states, corresponding to charged and uncharged conical defects in AdS${}_3$. In the conformal field theory, these states are generated by the insertion of charged and uncharged heavy operators. We employ the monodromy method to calculate the ensuing four-point function between the heavy operators and the twist fields. For the two-interval case, we derive our results on the AdS and the conformal field theory side, respectively, from the generating function method of arXiv:2012.11274, as well as the vertex operator algebra. In all cases considered, we find equipartition of entanglement between the different charge sectors. We also clarify an aspect of conformal field theories with a large central charge and $\mathfrak{u}(1)_k$ Kac-Moody symmetry used in our calculations, namely the factorization of the Hilbert space into a gravitational Virasoro sector with large central charge, and a $\mathfrak{u}(1)_k$ Kac-Moody sector.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Interplay of Band Geometry and Topology in Ideal Chern Insulators in Presence of External Electromagnetic Fields

Ideal Chern insulating phases arise in two-dimensional systems with broken time-reversal symmetry. They are characterized by having nearly-flat bands, and a uniform quantum geometry -- which combines the Berry curvature and quantum metric -- and by being incompressible. In this work, we analyze the role of the quantum geometry in ideal Chern insulators aiming to describe transport in presence of external out-of-plane magnetic and electric fields. We firstly show that in the absence of external perturbations, novel Berry connections appear in ideal Chern insulating phases. Secondly, we provide a detailed analysis of the deformation of the quantum geometry once weak out-of-plane magnetic fields are switched on. The perturbed Berry curvature and quantum metric provide an effective quantum geometry, which is analyzed in the insulating regime and provides an application of our novel connections. The conditions under which the Girvin-MacDonald-Platzman algebra is realized in this situation are discussed. Furthermore, an investigation of electrical transport due to the new effective quantum geometry is presented once an electric field is added. Restricting to the case of two bands in the metallic regime the quantum metric appears as measurable quantum mechanical correction in the Hall response. Our findings can be applied, for instance, to rhombohedral trilayer graphene at low energies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Symmetry-Resolved Entanglement in AdS${}_3$/CFT${}_2$ coupled to $U(1)$ Chern-Simons Theory

We consider symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy in AdS${}_3$/CFT${}_2$ coupled to $U(1)$ Chern-Simons theory. We identify the holographic dual of the charged moments in the two-dimensional conformal field theory as a charged Wilson line in the bulk of AdS${}_3$, namely the Ryu-Takayanagi geodesic minimally coupled to the $U(1)$ Chern-Simons gauge field. We identify the holonomy around the Wilson line as the Aharonov-Bohm phases which, in the two-dimensional field theory, are generated by charged $U(1)$ vertex operators inserted at the endpoints of the entangling interval. Furthermore, we devise a new method to calculate the symmetry resolved entanglement entropy by relating the generating function for the charged moments to the amount of charge in the entangling subregion. We calculate the subregion charge from the $U(1)$ Chern-Simons gauge field sourced by the bulk Wilson line. We use our method to derive the symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy for Poincaré patch and global AdS${}_3$, as well as for the conical defect geometries. In all three cases, the symmetry resolved entanglement entropy is determined by the length of the Ryu-Takayanagi geodesic and the Chern-Simons level $k$, and fulfills equipartition of entanglement. The asymptotic symmetry algebra of the bulk theory is of $\hat{\mathfrak{u}}{(1)_k}$ Kac-Moody type. Employing the $\hat{\mathfrak{u}}{(1)_k}$ Kac-Moody symmetry, we confirm our holographic results by a calculation in the dual conformal field theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Topological shadows and complexity of islands in multiboundary wormholes

Recently, remarkable progress in recovering the Page curve of an evaporating black hole (BH) in Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity has been achieved through use of Quantum Extremal surfaces (QES). Multi-boundary Wormhole (MbW) models have been crucial in parallel model building in three dimensions. Motivated by this we here use the latter models to compute the subregion complexity of the Hawking quanta of the evaporating BH in AdS$_{3}$ and obtain the Page curve associated with this information theoretic measure. We use three- and $n$-boundary wormhole constructions to elucidate our computations of volumes below the Hubeny-Rangamani-Takayanagi (HRT) surfaces at different times. Time is represented by the growing length of the throat horizons corresponding to smaller exits of the multi-boundary wormhole and the evaporating bigger exit shrinks with evolving time. We track the change in choice of HRT surfaces with time and plot the volume with time. The smooth transition of Page curve is realized by a discontinuous jump at Page time in volume subregion complexity plots and the usual Page transition is realized as a phase transition due to the inclusion of the island in this context. We discuss mathematical intricacies and physical insights regarding the inclusion of the extra volume at Page time. The analysis is backed by calculations and lessons from kinematic space and tensor networks.

hep-th↗

arXiv2020

Holographic RG Flows for Kondo-like Impurities

Boundary, defect, and interface RG flows, as exemplified by the famous Kondo model, play a significant role in the theory of quantum fields. We study in detail the holographic dual of a non-conformal supersymmetric impurity in the D1/D5 CFT. Its RG flow bears similarities to the Kondo model, although unlike the Kondo model the CFT is strongly coupled in the holographic regime. The interface we study preserves $d = 1$ $\mathcal{N} = 4$ supersymmetry and flows to conformal fixed points in both the UV and IR. The interface's UV fixed point is described by $d = 1$ fermionic degrees of freedom, coupled to a gauge connection on the CFT target space that is induced by the ADHM construction. We briefly discuss its field-theoretic properties before shifting our focus to its holographic dual. We analyze the supergravity dual of this interface RG flow, first in the probe limit and then including gravitational backreaction. In the probe limit, the flow is realized by the puffing up of probe branes on an internal $\mathsf{S}^3$ via the Myers effect. We further identify the backreacted supergravity configurations dual to the interface fixed points. These supergravity solutions provide a geometric realization of critical screening of the defect degrees of freedom. This critical screening arises in a way similar to the original Kondo model. We compute the $g$-factor both in the probe brane approximation and using backreacted supergravity solutions, and show that it decreases from the UV to the IR as required by the $g$-theorem.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Holographic Subregion Complexity from Kinematic Space

We consider the computation of volumes contained in a spatial slice of AdS$_3$ in terms of observables in a dual CFT. Our main tool is kinematic space, defined either from the bulk perspective as the space of oriented bulk geodesics, or from the CFT perspective as the space of entangling intervals. We give an explicit formula for the volume of a general region in the spatial slice as an integral over kinematic space. For the region lying below a geodesic, we show how to write this volume purely in terms of entangling entropies in the dual CFT. This expression is perhaps most interesting in light of the complexity=volume proposal, which posits that complexity of holographic quantum states is computed by bulk volumes. An extension of this idea proposes that the holographic subregion complexity of an interval, defined as the volume under its Ryu-Takayanagi surface, is a measure of the complexity of the corresponding reduced density matrix. If this is true, our results give an explicit relationship between entanglement and subregion complexity in CFT, at least in the vacuum. We further extend many of our results to conical defect and BTZ black hole geometries.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Topological Complexity in AdS3/CFT2

We consider subregion complexity within the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence. We rewrite the volume proposal, according to which the complexity of a reduced density matrix is given by the spacetime volume contained inside the associated Ryu-Takayanagi (RT) surface, in terms of an integral over the curvature. Using the Gauss-Bonnet theorem we evaluate this quantity for general entangling regions and temperature. In particular, we find that the discontinuity that occurs under a change in the RT surface is given by a fixed topological contribution, independent of the temperature or details of the entangling region. We offer a definition and interpretation of subregion complexity in the context of tensor networks, and show numerically that it reproduces the qualitative features of the holographic computation in the case of a random tensor network using its relation to the Ising model. Finally, we give a prescription for computing subregion complexity directly in CFT using the kinematic space formalism, and use it to reproduce some of our explicit gravity results obtained at zero temperature. We thus obtain a concrete matching of results for subregion complexity between the gravity and tensor network approaches, as well as a CFT prescription.

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