15–17 Jul 2026
Durham University
Europe/London timezone

A strengthened Quantum Null Energy Condition

16 Jul 2026, 16:00
30m
Applebey Lecture Theatre (Geography) (Durham University)

Applebey Lecture Theatre (Geography)

Durham University

Speaker

Victor Franken (Ghent University)

Description

The quantum null energy condition (QNEC) is a well-known and proven information-theoretic lower bound on the expectation value of energy density in quantum field theory. The bound can be predicted simply as a consequence of a conjectured quantum gravity principle called the restricted quantum focusing conjecture (RQFC). Here, we show that for conformal field theories in spacetime of dimension greater than two, a stronger-than-QNEC bound is predictable from the RQFC. This strengthened QNEC says that $T_{kk} -\frac{S''}{\mathcal{A}} \geq \kappa \mathcal{A} \left(\frac{S'}{\mathcal{A}}\right)^2$, where derivatives denote null variations of a Rindler wedge in region of area $\mathcal{A}$.

Author

Victor Franken (Ghent University)

Presentation materials

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