A new product entropy

Abstract

We propose a new product entropy, defined as the Rényi (or von Neumann) entropy of a normalized product operator constructed from two density matrices. We establish a duality showing that the SVD entanglement entropy of a subsystem for two pure states is exactly equivalent to the product entropy of the complementary subsystem. This connection provides both a transparent physical interpretation in terms of the spectral diversity of the subsystem state product and a computationally efficient route that bypasses the reduced transition matrix. For low-lying eigenstates, we derive analytical expressions for the subsystem product entropy between the ground state and primary excitations in two-dimensional conformal field theories, explicitly verified against the critical Ising chain. In quantum quench dynamics, the quasiparticle picture yields time evolution in the scaling limit: following a global quench, the subsystem product entropy exhibits distinct sequences of thermalization and revivals, whereas under a local operator quench, it develops characteristic plateaus whose constant values are determined by the inserted operator. Extensive numerical calculations on the critical Ising chain confirm the analytical predictions with excellent accuracy.