The Holographic Entropy Bound and Local Quantum Field Theory

Abstract

The maximum entropy that can be stored in a bounded region of space is in dispute: it goes as volume, implies (non-gravitational) microphysics; it goes as the surface area, asserts the "holographic principle." Here I show how the holographic bound can be derived from elementary flat-spacetime quantum field theory when the total energy of Fock states is constrained gravitationally. This energy constraint makes the Fock space dimension (whose logarithm is the maximum entropy) finite for both Bosons and Fermions. Despite the elementary nature of my analysis, it results in an upper limit on entropy in remarkable agreement with the holographic bound.