Entanglement entropy and variational methods: Interacting scalar fields

We develop a variational approximation to the entanglement entropy for scalar ?⁴${?}^4$ theory in 1+1$1+1$, 2+1$2+1$, and 3+1$3+1$ dimensions, and then examine the entanglement entropy as a function of the coupling. We find that in 1+1$1+1$ and 2+1$2+1$ dimensions, the entanglement entropy of ?⁴${?}^4$ theory as a function of coupling is monotonically decreasing and convex. While ?⁴${?}^4$ theory with positive bare coupling in 3+1$3+1$ dimensions is thought to lead to a trivial free theory, we analyze a version of ?⁴${?}^4$ with infinitesimal negative bare coupling, an asymptotically free theory known as precarious  ?⁴${?}^4$ theory, and explore the monotonicity and convexity of its entanglement entropy as a function of coupling. Within the variational approximation, the stability of precarious ?⁴${?}^4$ theory is related to the sign of the first and second derivatives of the entanglement entropy with respect to the coupling.