A general proof of integer R'enyi QNEC

arXiv:2605.15272 · hep-th, math-ph, math.MP, math.OA, quant-ph · Submitted 2026-05-14 · Read on arXiv

hep-th, math-ph, math.MP, math.OA, quant-ph

Submitted: 2026-05-14

Updated: 2026-10-12

Comments: 43 pages, 1 figure. v2: Significant rewriting to improve exposition; results unchanged. v3: Significant rewriting; added integer Rényi ant theorem; updated abstract

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The gist: We prove the Rényi quantum null energy condition for every integer Rényi order n at least2.

Terminology

Abstract

We prove the Rényi quantum null energy condition for every integer Rényi order n at least2. In local Poincaré-invariant quantum field theory, this states that the sandwiched Rényi divergence (SRD) of an excited state relative to the vacuum is convex along a future-directed null deformation. We assume that the deformation is realized by the canonical translations of a half-sided modular inclusion and that the divergence is finite for the initial, undeformed algebra. The proof establishes convexity of the SRD along the induced positive contraction semigroup on Haagerup L n(M), for every non-zero positive initial element. We also establish a Rényi ant formula at every even integer order and, under an additional regularity assumption, at odd integer orders. The Rényi ant formula identifies the negative first null derivative of SRD with a multiple of the infimum of the canonical null-translation energy over vector purifications of an escort state constructed from the excited state and the vacuum.

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