Connecting boundary entropy and effective central charge at holographic interfaces

Abstract

The entanglement entropy of intervals in $1+1$ interface CFTs is modified in two ways compared to a CFT without interface: there is a finite boundary entropy contribution, and, for an interval with an endpoint at the interface, the coefficient of the logarithmically divergent contribution -- which is usually proportional to the central charge of the CFT -- is modified to an effective central charge. We show that the latter modification can be understood as a limit of the former using holographic duals of interface CFTs. Furthermore, we show that a finite contribution also appears in intervals that do not cross the interface and it is needed to ensure strong subbaditivity of the entanglement entropy.