QNEC2 in deformed holographic CFTs

A bstract

We use the quantum null energy condition in strongly coupled two-dimensional field theories (QNEC ₂) as diagnostic tool to study a variety of phase structures, including crossover, second and first order phase transitions. We find a universal QNEC ₂ constraint for first order phase transitions with kinked entanglement entropy and discuss in general the relation between the QNEC ₂-inequality and monotonicity of the Casini-Huerta c-function. We then focus on a specific example, the holographic dual of which is modelled by three-dimensional Einstein gravity plus a massive scalar field with one free parameter in the self-interaction potential. We study translation invariant stationary states dual to domain walls and black branes. Depending on the value of the free parameter we find crossover, second and first order phase transitions between such states, and the c-function either flows to zero or to a finite value in the infrared. We present evidence that evaluating QNEC ₂ for ground state solutions allows to predict the existence of phase transitions at finite temperature.