Topological entanglement and number theory

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationship between topological entanglement in 3d Chern-Simons theory, number theory via Witten zeta functions, and the geometry of moduli spaces, revealing new computational and interpretative insights.

Contribution

It introduces a q-deformed Witten zeta function, analyzes its large level limit, and connects entanglement measures to classical zeta functions and moduli space volumes.

Findings

Large k limit of q-deformed Witten zeta function converges to classical Witten zeta function.

Rényi entropies at finite k are expressed in terms of q-deformed Witten zeta functions.

Entanglement entropy limits relate to volumes of moduli spaces of flat connections.

Abstract

The recent developments in the study of topological multi-boundary entanglement in the context of 3d Chern-Simons theory (with gauge group $G$ and level $k$) suggest a strong interplay between entanglement measures and number theory. The purpose of this note is twofold. First, we introduce a $q$-deformed version of the Witten zeta function using the Chern-Simons theory at level $k$. We analyze the large $k$ limit of this function and show that it converges to an integer multiple of the classical Witten zeta function of $G$, where the integer multiple is precisely the order of the center of the group. This analysis provides an alternative way to compute the classical zeta functions, and we present some examples. Next, we study the quantum state associated with the $S^3$ complement of torus links of type $T_{p,p}$ and show that we can write the R\'enyi entropies at finite $k$ in terms of $q$-deformed Witten zeta functions. Using our first result, we obtain the $k \to \infty$ limit of the R\'enyi entropies and find that the entropies converge to finite values, which can be written in terms of the classical Witten zeta functions evaluated at positive integers. Since Witten zeta functions naturally appear in the symplectic volumes of moduli spaces of flat connections on Riemann surfaces, we give a geometric interpretation of the $k \to \infty$ limit of the R\'enyi and entanglement entropies in terms of these volumes. The results of this paper reveal an intriguing connection between topological entanglement, number-theoretic structures arising from Witten zeta functions, and the geometry of moduli spaces.