Bekenstein bound and uncertainty relations

Abstract

The non–zero value of Planck constant h underlies the emergence of several inequalities that must be satisfied in the quantum realm, the most prominent one being Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Among these inequalities, Bekenstein bound provides a universal limit on the entropy that can be contained in a localized quantum system of given size and total energy. In this Letter, we explore how Bekenstein bound is affected when Heisenberg uncertainty relation is deformed so as to accommodate gravitational effects close to Planck scale (Generalized Uncertainty Principle). By resorting to general thermodynamic arguments, and in regimes where the equipartition theorem still holds, we derive in this way a “generalized Bekenstein bound”. Physical implications of this result are discussed for both cases of positive and negative values of the deformation parameter.