Physics - String Theory

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Mathematical and Theoretical Physics Seminar: Bowen Shi (UIUC), "Homogeneity versus defects: an entanglement bootstrap view"

Event Type
Seminar/Symposium
Sponsor
Department of Physics
Location
Loomis 464
Date
Sep 25, 2025   1:00 - 2:00 pm  
Speaker
Bowen Shi
Contact
Thierry Ramais
E-Mail
ramais@illinois.edu
Phone
217-300-2044
Views
23
Originating Calendar
Physics - Mathematical and Theoretical Physics Seminar

AbstractDefects can be described either in quantum field theory or quantum many-body systems, and they break homogeneity by definition. To discuss defects, a sense of homogeneity must be established first. In this talk, we approach this problem by drawing on ideas from quantum information, introducing the entanglement bootstrap approach. It takes a many-body vacuum state as the input instead of a Hamiltonian or Lagrangian. The entanglement bootstrap assumes a set of area law-flavored axioms on the reference (vacuum) wave function, which guarantee the state is "uniform" without defects. The isomorphism theorem of the information convex sets establishes a sense of homogeneity. It indicates the emergence of TQFTs on many-body systems. The axioms are based on entanglement properties rather than translations, Lorentz, or other symmetries. Properties of topological defects can be bootstrapped, including the novel transportation properties detected by immersed regions and the pinching of gapped domain wall partons. We further discuss related questions in chiral and (or) gapless systems. 

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