Numerical Relativity, Holography and the Quantum Null Energy Condition

TL;DR

This paper explores the quantum null energy condition (QNEC) within holographic frameworks, analyzing its validity and saturation in various 2- and 4-dimensional quantum field theories through numerical and analytical methods, revealing insights into strongly coupled systems and quantum gravity.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of QNEC in holographic models, including its saturation conditions and phase transitions, advancing understanding of energy conditions in quantum gravity and strongly coupled QFTs.

Findings

QNEC is always satisfied and sometimes saturated in studied states.

In 2D, QNEC cannot be saturated with bulk matter.

Phase transitions in black holes relate to QNEC properties.

Abstract

The quantum null energy condition (QNEC) is the only known consistent local energy condition in quantum theories. Contrary to the classical energy condition which are known to be violated in QFT, QNEC is a consequence of the quantum focussing conjecture and has been proven for several special cases and in general for QFTs in three or more spacetime dimensions. QNEC involves an intrinsically quantum property of the theory under consideration, the entanglement entropy (EE). While EE is notoriously hard to calculate in QFT, the holographic principle provides a simple geometric description. In general the holographic principle relates a gauge theory without gravity to a theory of quantum gravity in one dimension higher. Holography provides a way to learn about strongly coupled field theories as well as quantum gravity and investigating QNEC in this context will undoubtedly lead to new insights. In this thesis the focus is put on $2$- and $4$-dimensional field theories, where we study systems of increasing complexity with numerical and analytical methods. In vacuum, thermal states, globally quenched states and a toy model for heavy ion collisions we find that QNEC is always satisfied and sometimes saturated, while it can be a stronger or weaker condition than the classical null energy condition. Interestingly in two dimensions QNEC$_2$ cannot be saturated in the presence of bulk matter. The backreaction of a massive scalar particle provides an example where the finite gap to saturation is precisely known. Considering a massive self-interacting scalar field coupled to Einstein gravity leads to phase transitions from small to large black holes. The dual field theory provides a rich example to use QNEC$_2$ as a tool to learn about strongly coupled dynamical systems. In particular knowing QNEC$_2$ in the ground state allows us to make statements about the phase structure of the thermal states.