Nonlocal order parameters for deconfinement, such as the entanglement entropy and Wilson loops, depend on spatial surfaces $\Sigma$. These observables are given holographically by the area of a certain bulk spatial surface $\Gamma$ ending on $\Sigma$. At finite charge density it is natural to consider the electric flux through the bulk surface $\Gamma$ in addition to its area. We show that this flux provides a refined order parameter that can distinguish “fractionalized” phases, with charged horizons, from what we term “cohesive” phases, with charged matter in the bulk. Fractionalization leads to a volume law for the flux through the surface, the flux for deconfined but cohesive phases is between a boundary and a volume law, while finite density confined phases have vanishing flux through the surface. We suggest two possible field theoretical interpretations for this order parameter. The first is as information extracted from the large $N$ reduced density matrix associated with $\Sigma$. The second is as surface operators dual to polarized bulk “D-branes,” carrying an electric dipole moment.

• Received 1 July 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.86.066001