Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Topological order in matrix Ising models

  Sean A. Hartnoll, Edward A. Mazenc, Zhengyan D. Shi

  SciPost Phys. 7, 081 (2019) · published 19 December 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study a family of models for an $N_1 \times N_2$ matrix worth of Ising spins $S_{aB}$. In the large $N_i$ limit we show that the spins soften, so that the partition function is described by a bosonic matrix integral with a single `spherical' constraint. In this way we generalize the results of [1] to a wide class of Ising Hamiltonians with $O(N_1,\mathbb{Z})\times O(N_2,\mathbb{Z})$ symmetry. The models can undergo topological large $N$ phase transitions in which the thermal expectation value of the distribution of singular values of the matrix $S_{aB}$ becomes disconnected. This topological transition competes with low temperature glassy and magnetically ordered phases.

  3 citations

• The functional generalization of the Boltzmann-Vlasov equation and its gauge-like symmetry

  Giorgio Torrieri

  SciPost Phys. 16, 070 (2024) · published 11 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We argue that one can model deviations from the ensemble average in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics by promoting the Boltzmann equation to an equation in terms of functionals , representing possible candidates for phase space distributions inferred from a finite observed number of degrees of freedom. We find that, provided the collision term and the Vlasov drift term are both included, a gauge-like redundancy arises which does not go away even if the functional is narrow. We argue that this effect is linked to the gauge-like symmetry found in relativistic hydrodynamics [Ann. Phys. 442, 168902 (2022)] and that it could be part of the explanation for the apparent fluid-like behavior in small systems in hadronic collisions and other strongly-coupled small systems [Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 68, 211 (2018)]. When causality and Lorentz invariance are omitted this problem can be look at via random matrix theory show, and we show that in such a case thermalization happens much more quickly than the Boltzmann equation would infer. We also sketch an algorithm to study this problem numerically.

  3 citations

• Disordered $\mathcal{N} = (2, 2)$ supersymmetric field theories

  Chi-Ming Chang, Xiaoyang Shen

  SciPost Phys. 16, 140 (2024) · published 30 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate a large class of $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetric field theories in two dimensions, which contains the Murugan-Stanford-Witten model, and can be naturally regarded as a disordered generalization of the two-dimensional Landau-Ginzburg models. We analyze the two and four-point functions of chiral superfields, and extract from them the central charge, the operator spectrum, and the chaos exponent in these models. Some of the models exhibit a conformal manifold parameterized by the variances of the random couplings. We compute the Zamolodchikov metrics on the conformal manifold, and demonstrate that the chaos exponent varies nontrivally along the conformal manifolds. Finally, we introduce and perform some preliminary analysis of a disordered generalization of the gauged linear sigma models, and discuss the low energy theories as ensemble averages of Calabi-Yau sigma models over complex structure moduli space.

  3 citations

• The spectral form factor in the 't Hooft limit – Intermediacy versus universality

  Ward L. Vleeshouwers, Vladimir Gritsev

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 051 (2022) · published 1 December 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Spectral Form Factor (SFF) is a convenient tool for the characterization of eigenvalue statistics of systems with discrete spectra, and thus serves as a proxy for quantum chaoticity. This work presents an analytical calculation of the SFF of the Chern-Simons Matrix Model (CSMM), which was first introduced to describe the intermediate level statistics of disordered electrons at the mobility edge. The CSMM is characterized by a parameter $ 0 \leq q\leq 1$, where the Circular Unitary Ensemble (CUE) is recovered for $q\to 0$. The CSMM was later found as a matrix model description of $U(N)$ Chern-Simons theory on $S^3$, which is dual to a topological string theory characterized by string coupling $g_s=-\log q$. The spectral form factor is proportional to a colored HOMFLY invariant of a $(2n,2)$-torus link with its two components carrying the fundamental and antifundamental representations, respectively. We check that taking $N \to \infty$ whilst keeping $q<1$ reduces the connected SFF to an exact linear ramp of unit slope, confirming the main result from arXiv:2012.11703 for the specific case of the CSMM. We then consider the `t Hooft limit, where $N \to \infty$ and $q \to 1^-$ such that $y = q^N $ remains finite. As we take $q\to 1^-$, this constitutes the opposite extreme of the CUE limit. In the `t Hooft limit, the connected SFF turns into a remarkable sequence of polynomials which, as far as the authors are aware, have not appeared in the literature thus far. A gap opens in the spectrum and, after unfolding by a constant rescaling, the connected SFF approximates a linear ramp of unit slope for all $y$ except $y \approx 1$, where the connected SFF goes to zero. We thus find that, although the CSMM was introduced to describe intermediate statistics and the `t Hooft limit is the opposite limit of the CUE, we still recover Wigner-Dyson universality for all $y$ except $y\approx 1$.

  3 citations

• Fermionic Bogomolǹyi-Prasad-Sommerfield Wilson loops in four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal gauge theories

  Hao Ouyang, Jun-Bao Wu

  SciPost Phys. 14, 008 (2023) · published 30 January 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct for the first time Drukker-Trancanelli (DT) type fermionic Bogomolǹyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS) Wilson loops in four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal $SU(N)\times SU(N)$ quiver theory and $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory. The connections of these fermionic BPS Wilson loops have a supermatrix structure. We construct timelike BPS Wilson lines in Minkowski spacetime and circular BPS Wilson loops in Euclidean space. These Wilson loops involve dimensionful parameters. For generic values of parameters, they preserve one real (complex) supercharge in Lorentzian (Euclidean) signature. Supersymmetry enhancement for Wilson loops happens when the parameters satisfy certain constraints. The nature of such loops is quite different from the Wilson loop operators involving fermions constructed previously in the literature on four-dimensional gauge theories. We hope that further investigations of such new Wilson loops will explore deep structures in both the gauge theories and gauge/gravity dualities.

  3 citations

• Classification of Convergent OPE Channels for Lorentzian CFT Four-Point Functions

  Jiaxin Qiao

  SciPost Phys. 13, 093 (2022) · published 12 October 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We analyze the convergence properties of operator product expansions (OPE) for Lorentzian CFT four-point functions of scalar operators. We give a complete classification of Lorentzian four-point configurations. All configurations in each class have the same OPE convergence properties in s-, t- and u-channels. We give tables including the information of OPE convergence for all classes. Our work justifies that in a subset of the configuration space, Lorentzian CFT four-point functions are genuine analytic functions. Our results are valid for unitary CFTs in $d\geq2$. Our work also provides some Lorentzian regions where one can do bootstrap analysis in the sense of functions.

  3 citations

• Renormalization group and effective potential: a simple non-perturbative approach

  Jose Gaite

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 044 (2022) · published 26 September 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We develop a simple non-perturbative approach to the calculation of a field theory effective potential that is based on the Wilson or exact renormalization group. Our approach follows Shepard et al's idea [Phys. Rev. D51, 7017 (1995)] of converting the exact renormalization group into a self-consistent renormalization method. It yields a simple second order differential equation for the effective potential. The equation can be solved and its solution is compared with other non-perturbative results and with results of perturbation theory. In three dimensions, we are led to study the sextic field theory ($\lambda\phi^4+g\phi^6$). We work out this theory at two-loop perturbative order and find the non-perturbative approach to be superior.

  3 citations

• Higher spin partition functions via the quasinormal mode method in de Sitter quantum gravity

  Victoria L. Martin, Andrew Svesko

  SciPost Phys. 9, 039 (2020) · published 14 September 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this note we compute the 1-loop partition function of spin-$s$ fields on Euclidean de Sitter space $S^{2n+1}$ using the quasinormal mode method. Instead of computing the quasinormal mode frequencies from scratch, we use the analytic continuation prescription $L_{\text{AdS}}\to iL_{\text{dS}}$, appearing in the dS/CFT correspondence, and Wick rotate the normal mode frequencies of fields on thermal $\text{AdS}_{2n+1}$ into the quasinormal mode frequencies of fields on de Sitter space. We compare the quasinormal mode and heat kernel methods of calculating 1-loop determinants, finding exact agreement, and furthermore explicitly relate these methods via a sum over the conformal dimension. We discuss how the Wick rotation of normal modes on thermal $\text{AdS}_{2n+1}$ can be generalized to calculating 1-loop partition functions on the thermal spherical quotients $S^{2n+1}/\mathbb{Z}_{p}$. We further show that the quasinormal mode frequencies encode the group theoretic structure of the spherical spacetimes in question, analogous to the recent analysis made for thermal AdS in (1910.07607) and (1910.11913).

  2 citations

• Integrable Floquet QFT: Elasticity and factorization under periodic driving

  Axel Cortes Cubero

  SciPost Phys. 5, 025 (2018) · published 21 September 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In (1+1)-dimensional quantum field theory, integrability is typically defined as the existence of an infinite number of local charges of different Lorentz spin, which commute with the Hamiltonian. A well known consequence of integrability is that scattering of particles is elastic and factorizable. These properties are the basis for the bootstrap program, which leads to the exact computation of S-matrices and form factors. We consider periodically-driven field theories, whose stroboscopic time-evolution is described by a Floquet Hamiltonian. It was recently proposed by Gritsev and Polkovnikov that it is possible for some form of integrability to be preserved even in driven systems. If a driving protocol exists such that the Floquet Hamiltonian is integrable (such that there is an infinite number of local and independent charges, a subset of which are parity-even, that commute with it), we show that there are strong conditions on the stroboscopic time evolution of particle trajectories, analogous to S-matrix elasticity and factorization. We propose a new set of axioms for the time evolution of particles which outline a new bootstrap program, which can be used to identify and classify integrable Floquet protocols. We present some simple examples of driving protocols where Floquet integrability is manifest; in particular, we also show that under certain conditions, some integrable protocols proposed by Gritsev and Polkovnikov are solutions of our new bootstrap equations.

  2 citations

• Interface junctions in QCD${}_4$

  Pranay Gorantla, Ho Tat Lam

  SciPost Phys. 10, 085 (2021) · published 22 April 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study 3+1 dimensional $SU(N)$ Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) with $N_f$ degenerate quarks that have a spatially varying complex mass. It leads to a network of interfaces connected by interface junctions. We use anomaly inflow to constrain these defects. Based on the chiral Lagrangian and the conjectures on the interfaces, characterized by a spatially varying $\theta$-parameter, we propose a low-energy description of such networks of interfaces. Interestingly, we observe that the operators in the effective field theories on the junctions can carry baryon charges, and their spin and isospin representations coincide with baryons. We also study defects, characterized by spatially varying coupling constants, in 2+1 dimensional Chern-Simons-matter theories and in a 3+1 dimensional real scalar theory.

  2 citations