Subregion Spectrum Form Factor via Pseudo Entropy

Abstract

We introduce a subsystem generalization of the spectral form factor via pseudo entropy, the von-Neumann entropy for the reduced transition matrix. We consider a transition matrix between the thermofield double state and its time-evolved state in two-dimensional conformal field theories, and study the time-dependence of the pseudo entropy for a single interval. We show that the real part of the pseudo entropy behaves similarly to the spectral form factor; it starts from the thermal entropy, initially drops to the minimum, then it starts increasing, and finally approaches the vacuum entanglement entropy. We also study the theory-dependence of its behavior by considering theories on a compact space.