Higher order RG flow on the Wilson line in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM

Extending earlier work, we find the two-loop term in the beta-function for the scalar coupling ζ in a generalized Wilson loop operator of the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM theory, working in the planar weak-coupling expansion. The beta-function for ζ has fixed points at ζ = ±1 and ζ = 0, corresponding respectively to the supersymmetric Wilson-Maldacena loop and to the standard Wilson loop without scalar coupling. As a consequence of our result for the beta-function, we obtain a prediction for the two-loop term in the anomalous dimension of the scalar field inserted on the standard Wilson loop. We also find a subset of higher-loop contributions (with highest powers of ζ at each order in ‘t Hooft coupling λ) coming from the scalar ladder graphs determining the corresponding terms in the five-loop beta-function. We discuss the related structure of the circular Wilson loop expectation value commenting, in particular, on consistency with a 1d defect version of the F-theorem. We also compute (to two loops in the planar ladder model approximation) the two-point correlators of scalars inserted on the Wilson line.

Strong-coupling results for $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superconformal quivers and holography

We consider $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 superconformal quiver gauge theories in four dimensions and evaluate the chiral/anti-chiral correlators of single-trace operators. We show that it is convenient to form particular twisted and untwisted combinations of these operators suggested by the dual holographic description of the theory. The various twisted sectors are orthogonal and the correlators in each sector have always the same structure, as we show at the lowest orders in perturbation theory with Feynman diagrams. Using localization we then map the computation to a matrix model. In this way we are able to obtain formal expressions for the twisted correlators in the planar limit that are valid for all values of the ‘t Hooft coupling λ, and find that they are proportional to 1/λ at strong coupling. We successfully test the correctness of our extrapolation against a direct numerical evaluation of the matrix model and argue that the 1/λ behavior qualitatively agrees with the holographic description.

The planar limit of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 chiral correlators

We derive the planar limit of 2- and 3-point functions of single-trace chiral primary operators of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 SQCD on S4, to all orders in the ’t Hooft coupling. In order to do so, we first obtain a combinatorial expression for the planar free energy of a hermitian matrix model with an infinite number of arbitrary single and double trace terms in the potential; this solution might have applications in many other contexts. We then use these results to evaluate the analogous planar correlation functions on ℝ4. Specifically, we compute all the terms with a single value of the ζ function for a few planar 2- and 3-point functions, and conjecture general formulas for these terms for all 2- and 3-point functions on ℝ4.

Strong coupling expansion of free energy and BPS Wilson loop in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superconformal models with fundamental hypermultiplets

As a continuation of the study (in arXiv:2102.07696 and arXiv:2104.12625) of strong-coupling expansion of non-planar corrections in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 4d superconformal models we consider two special theories with gauge groups SU(N) and Sp(2N). They contain N-independent numbers of hypermultiplets in rank 2 antisymmetric and fundamental representations and are planar-equivalent to the corresponding $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM theories. These $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 theories can be realised on a system of N D3-branes with a finite number of D7-branes and O7-plane; the dual string theories should be particular orientifolds of AdS5 × S5 superstring. Starting with the localization matrix model representation for the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 partition function on S4 we find exact differential relations between the 1/N terms in the corresponding free energy F and the $$ \frac{1}{2} $$ 1 2 -BPS Wilson loop expectation value $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W and also compute their large ’t Hooft coupling (λ » 1) expansions. The structure of these expansions is different from the previously studied models without fundamental hypermultiplets. In the more tractable Sp(2N) case we find an exact resummed expression for the leading strong coupling terms at each order in the 1/N expansion. We also determine the exponentially suppressed at large λ contributions to the non-planar corrections to F and $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W and comment on their resurgence properties. We discuss dual string theory interpretation of these strong coupling expansions.

$$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills thermodynamics to order λ2

We calculate the resummed perturbative free energy of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills in four spacetime dimensions (SYM4,4) through second order in the ’t Hooft coupling λ at finite temperature and zero chemical potential. Our final result is ultraviolet finite and all infrared divergences generated at three-loop level are canceled by summing over SYM4,4 ring diagrams. Non-analytic terms at $$ \mathcal{O} $$ O (λ3/2) and $$ \mathcal{O} $$ O (λ2 log λ) are generated by dressing the A0 and scalar propagators. The gauge-field Debye mass mD and the scalar thermal mass MD are determined from their corresponding finite-temperature self-energies. Based on this, we obtain the three-loop thermodynamic functions of SYM4,4 to $$ \mathcal{O} $$ O (λ2). We compare our final result with prior results obtained in the weak- and strong-coupling limits and construct a generalized Padé approximant that interpolates between the weak-coupling result and the large-Nc strong-coupling result. Our results suggest that the $$ \mathcal{O} $$ O (λ2) weak-coupling result for the scaled entropy density is a quantitatively reliable approximation to the scaled entropy density for 0 ≤ λ ≲ 2.

Second order equilibrium transport in strongly coupled $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetric SU(Nc) Yang-Mills plasma via holography

A relativistic fluid in 3+1 dimensions with a global U(1) symmetry admits nine independent static susceptibilities at the second order in the hydrodynamic derivative expansion, which capture the response of the fluid in thermal equilibrium to the presence of external time-independent sources. Of these, seven are time-reversal $$ \mathbbm{T} $$ T invariant and can be obtained from Kubo formulas involving equilibrium two-point functions of the energy-momentum tensor and the U(1) current. Making use of the gauge/gravity duality along with the aforementioned Kubo formulas, we compute all seven $$ \mathbbm{T} $$ T invariant second order susceptibilities for the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 supersymmetric SU(Nc) Yang-Mills plasma in the limit of large Nc and at strong ’t-Hooft coupling λ. In particular, we consider the plasma to be charged under a U(1) subgroup of the global SU(4) R-symmetry of the theory. We present analytic expressions for three of the seven $$ \mathbbm{T} $$ T invariant susceptibilities, while the remaining four are computed numerically. The dual gravitational description for the charged plasma in thermal equilibrium in the absence of background electric and magnetic fields is provided by the asymptotically AdS5 Reissner-Nordström black brane geometry. The susceptibilities are extracted by studying perturbations to the bulk geometry as well as to the bulk gauge field. We also present an estimate of the second order transport coefficient κ, which determines the response of the fluid to the presence of background curvature, for QCD, and compare it with previous determinations made using different techniques.

Exact 1/N expansion of Wilson loop correlators in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 Super-Yang-Mills theory

Supersymmetric circular Wilson loops in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 Super-Yang-Mills theory are discussed starting from their Gaussian matrix model representations. Previous results on the generating functions of Wilson loops are reviewed and extended to the more general case of two different loop contours, which is needed to discuss coincident loops with opposite orientations. A combinatorial formula representing the connected correlators of multiply wound Wilson loops in terms of the matrix model solution is derived. Two new results are obtained on the expectation value of the circular Wilson loop, the expansion of which into a series in 1/N and to all orders in the ’t Hooft coupling λ was derived by Drukker and Gross about twenty years ago. The connected correlators of two multiply wound Wilson loops with arbitrary winding numbers are calculated as a series in 1/N. The coefficient functions are derived not only as power series in λ, but also to all orders in λ by expressing them in terms of the coefficients of the Drukker and Gross series. This provides an efficient way to calculate the 1/N series, which can probably be generalized to higher-point correlators.

BPS Wilson loop in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superconformal SU(N) “orientifold” gauge theory and weak-strong coupling interpolation

We consider the expectation value $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W of the circular BPS Wilson loop in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 superconformal SU(N) gauge theory containing a vector multiplet coupled to two hypermultiplets in rank-2 symmetric and antisymmetric representations. This theory admits a regular large N expansion, is planar-equivalent to $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM theory and is expected to be dual to a certain orbifold/orientifold projection of AdS5× S5 superstring theory. On the string theory side $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W is represented by the path integral expanded near the same AdS2 minimal surface as in the maximally supersymmetric case. Following the string theory argument in [5], we suggest that as in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM case and in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 SU(N) × SU(N) superconformal quiver theory discussed in [19], the coefficient of the leading non-planar 1/N2 correction in $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W should have the universal λ3/2 scaling at large ’t Hooft coupling. We confirm this prediction by starting with the localization matrix model representation for $$ \left\langle \mathcal{W}\right\rangle $$ W . We complement the analytic derivation of the λ3/2 scaling by a numerical high-precision resummation and extrapolation of the weak-coupling expansion using conformal mapping improved Padé analysis.

Exact results in a $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superconformal gauge theory at strong coupling

We consider the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 SYM theory with gauge group SU(N) and a matter content consisting of one multiplet in the symmetric and one in the anti-symmetric representation. This conformal theory admits a large-N ’t Hooft expansion and is dual to a particular orientifold of AdS5 × S5. We analyze this gauge theory relying on the matrix model provided by localization à la Pestun. Even though this matrix model has very non-trivial interactions, by exploiting the full Lie algebra approach to the matrix integration, we show that a large class of observables can be expressed in a closed form in terms of an infinite matrix depending on the ’t Hooft coupling λ. These exact expressions can be used to generate the perturbative expansions at high orders in a very efficient way, and also to study analytically the leading behavior at strong coupling. We successfully compare these predictions to a direct Monte Carlo numerical evaluation of the matrix integral and to the Padé resummations derived from very long perturbative series, that turn out to be extremely stable beyond the convergence disk |λ| < π2 of the latter.

Hydrodynamic dispersion relations at finite coupling

By using holographic methods, the radii of convergence of the hydrodynamic shear and sound dispersion relations were previously computed in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory at infinite ’t Hooft coupling and infinite number of colours. Here, we extend this analysis to the domain of large but finite ’t Hooft coupling. To leading order in the perturbative expansion, we find that the radii grow with increasing inverse coupling, contrary to naive expectations. However, when the equations of motion are solved using a qualitative non-perturbative resummation, the dependence on the coupling becomes piecewise continuous and the initial growth is followed by a decrease. The piecewise nature of the dependence is related to the dynamics of branch point singularities of the energy-momentum tensor finite-temperature two-point functions in the complex plane of spatial momentum squared. We repeat the study using the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity as a model where the equations can be solved fully non-perturbatively, and find the expected decrease of the radii of convergence with the effective inverse coupling which is also piecewise continuous. Finally, we provide arguments in favour of the non-perturbative approach and show that the presence of non-perturbative modes in the quasinormal spectrum can be indirectly inferred from the analysis of perturbative critical points.