We investigate holographically the entanglement entropy of a nonconformal medium whose dual geometry is described by an Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory. Because of an additional conserved charge corresponding to the number operator, its thermodynamics can be represented in a grand canonical or canonical ensemble. We study thermodynamics in both ensembles by using the holographic renormalization and the entanglement entropy of a nonconformal medium. After defining the entanglement chemical potential, which unlike the entanglement temperature has a nontrivial size dependence, we find that the entanglement entropy of a small subsystem satisfies the relation resembling the first law of thermodynamics in a medium. Furthermore, we study the entanglement entropy change in the nonconformal medium caused by the excitation of the ground state and by the global quench corresponding to the insertion of particles.

• Received 6 March 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.91.126003