Entanglement Entropy from Correlation Functions of Scalar Fields in and out of Equilibrium

Abstract

We show that odd order R\'enyi entropies $S^{(2q+1)}$ of a system of interacting scalar fields can be calculated as the free energy of $2q+1$ replicas of the system with additional quadratic inter-replica couplings in the subsystem at the time of measurement of the entropy. These couplings replace boundary field matching conditions. This formalism works both in and out of thermal equilibrium, for closed as well as open quantum systems, and provides a general dictionary between measurable correlation functions and entanglement entropy. $S^{(2q+1)}$ can be analytically continued to calculate the von Neumann entropy $S^{\mathrm{vN}}$. We provide an exact formula relating $S^{(2q+1)}$ and $S^{\mathrm{vN}}$ with correlation functions in a non-interacting theory. For interacting theories, we provide rules for constructing all possible Feynman diagrams for $S^{(2q+1)}$. We show that the boundary matching conditions cannot be completely eliminated while calculating R\'enyi entropies of even order due to presence of zero modes in replica space.