Exact Mutual Information Difference: Scalar vs. Maxwell Fields
Abstract
We compute, for any R\'enyi index , the exact difference between the mutual R\'enyi informations of a pair of free massless scalars and that of a Maxwell field in dimensions. Using the standard dimensional reduction method in polar coordinates, the problem is mapped to that of a single scalar field in with Dirichlet boundary conditions, which in turn can be conveniently related to the algebra of a chiral current on the full line. This latter identification, which maps algebras on an interval to two-interval algebras, yields exact results that clarify the structure of the long-distance OPE perturbative expansion of the mutual information. We find that this series has a finite radius of convergence only for integer , while it becomes only asymptotical for and general non-integer values of .
Cite
@article{arxiv.2511.04742,
title = {Exact Mutual Information Difference: Scalar vs. Maxwell Fields},
author = {Nicolás Abate and Horacio Casini and Marina Huerta and Leandro Martinek},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.04742},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
v2. Comments added