1983 paper on entanglement entropy: "On the Entropy of the Vacuum outside a Horizon"

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of entanglement entropy, demonstrating it follows an area law and proposing it as a candidate for black hole entropy, with a quantized interpretation at the horizon.

Contribution

It pioneers the idea that entanglement entropy can explain black hole entropy and suggests a quantized structure at the horizon.

Findings

Entanglement entropy follows an area law.

Proposes entanglement entropy as a source of black hole entropy.

Suggests a quantized interpretation at the horizon.

Abstract

I introduce the concept of *entanglement entropy* (as it's now called) and point out that it follows an *area law* which renders it a suitable source of black hole entropy. I also suggest to conceive the latter as residing on the horizon at approximately one bit per "Planckian plaquette".