We study new supergravity solutions related to large-$N_c$ ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge field theories with a large number $N_f$ of massive flavors. We use a recently proposed framework based on configurations with $N_c$ color D5 branes and a distribution of $N_f$ flavor D5 branes, governed by a function $N_f S(r)$. Although the system admits many solutions, under plausible physical assumptions the relevant solution is uniquely determined for each value of $x\equiv N_f/N_c$. In the IR region, the solution smoothly approaches the deformed Maldacena-Núñez solution. In the UV region it approaches a linear dilaton solution. For $x<2$ the gauge coupling $β_g $ function computed holographically is negative definite, in the UV approaching the NSVZ $β$ function with anomalous dimension $γ_0= -1/2$ (approaching $-3/(32π^2)(2N_c-N_f)g^3$)), and with $β_g \to-\infty $ in the IR. For $x=2$, $β_g$ has a UV fixed point at strong coupling, suggesting the existence of an IR fixed point at a lower value of the coupling. We argue that the solutions with $x>2$ describe a "Seiberg dual" picture where $N_f-2N_c$ flips sign.
We apply the exact WKB analysis to the quantum Seiberg-Witten curve for 4-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = 2\ SU(2)\ N_f=2$ SQCD with the flavor symmetry. The discontinuity and the asymptotic behavior of the quantum periods define a Riemann-Hilbert problem. We derive the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) equations as a solution to this problem. We also compute the effective central charge of the underlying CFT, which is shown to be proportional to the one-loop beta function of the SQCD.
We present new supergravity backgrounds generated by N_c D5-branes, wrapping the S^2 of the resolved conifold, in the presence of N_f = 2 N_c smeared flavor D5-branes. The smearing allows us to take their backreaction on the geometry into account. We discuss the consistency, stability, and supersymmetry of these types of setups. We find near horizon geometries that we expect to be supergravity duals of SQCD-like theories with N_f= 2N_c. From these backgrounds we numerically extract rectangular Wilson loops and beta functions of the dual field theory for the regime where our approximations are …
We suggest how to consistently calculate the anomalous dimension $γ_*$ of the $\barψψ$ operator in finite order perturbation theory at an infrared fixed point for asymptotically free theories. If the $n+1$ loop beta function and $n$ loop anomalous dimension are known then $γ_*$ can be calculated exactly and fully scheme independently through $O(Δ_f^n )$ where $Δ_f = \bar{N_f} - N_f$ and $N_f$ is the number of flavors and $\bar{N}_f$ is the number of flavors above which asymptotic freedom is lost. For a supersymmetric theory the calculation preserves supersymmetry order by order in $Δ_f$. We th…
We consider non-perturbative effects in the beta-deformed N=4 supersymmetric gauge theory in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence. We concentrate on the correlators of the Yang-Mills operators which correspond to the lowest Kaluza-Klein modes propagating on the dual supergravity background found by Lunin and Maldacena in hep-th/0502086. In particular, we calculate all multi-instanton contributions to these correlators in the beta-deformed SYM and find a compelling agreement with the results expected in supergravity.
Using exact boundary conformal field theory methods we analyze the D-brane physics of a specific four-dimensional non-critical superstring theory which involves the N=2 SL(2)/U(1) Kazama-Suzuki model at level 1. Via the holographic duality of hep-th/9907178 our results are relevant for D-brane dynamics in the background of NS5-branes and D-brane dynamics near a conifold singularity. We pay special attention to a configuration of D3- and D5-branes that realizes N=1 supersymmetric QCD and discuss the massless spectrum and classical moduli of this setup in detail. We also comment briefly on the i…
We present a comprehensive discussion of renormalisation of 3-point functions of scalar operators in conformal field theories in general dimension. We have previously shown that conformal symmetry uniquely determines the momentum-space 3-point functions in terms of certain integrals involving a product of three Bessel functions (triple-K integrals). The triple-K integrals diverge when the dimensions of operators satisfy certain relations and we discuss how to obtain renormalised 3-point functions in all cases. There are three different types of divergences: ultralocal, semilocal and nonlocal, …
We compute both classical and quantum finite-size corrections at leading order in the strong coupling limit for the (dyonic) giant magnon in the Lunin-Maldacena background. Based on the exact S-martix conjectured for the deformed theory, we generalize the Luscher formula to include twisted boundary conditions and show that the results match with those derived both by finite-size classical solutions of the giant magnon and by algebraic curve analysis.
We consider the deformations of a supersymmetric quantum field theory by adding spacetime-dependent terms to the action. We propose to describe the renormalization of such deformations in terms of some cohomological invariants, a class of solutions of a Maurer-Cartan equation. We consider the strongly coupled limit of $N=4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. In the context of AdS/CFT correspondence, we explain what corresponds to our invariants in classical supergravity. There is a leg amputation procedure, which constructs a solution of the Maurer-Cartan equation from tree diagramms of SUGRA. …
We compute the one-loop effective action in \N=1 conformal SU(N) gauge theory which is an exactly marginal deformation of the \N=4 SYM theory. We consider an abelian background of constant \N = 1 gauge field and single chiral scalar. While for finite N the effective action depends non-trivially on the deformation parameter β, this dependence disappears in the large N limit if the parameter βis real. This conclusion matches the strong-coupling prediction coming from the form of a D3-brane probe action in the dual supergravity background: for the simplest choice of the D3-brane position the prob…
This is a review of recent developments in the theory of beta ensembles of random matrices and their relations with conformal filed theory (CFT). There are (almost) no new results here. This article can serve as a guide on appearances and studies of quantum Painlevé and more general multidimensional linear equations of Belavin-Polyakov-Zamolodchikov (BPZ) type in literature. We demonstrate how BPZ equations of CFT arise from $β$-ensemble eigenvalue integrals. Quantum Painlevé equations are relatively simple instances of BPZ or confluent BPZ equations, they are PDEs in two independent variables…
We compute perturbative worldsheet S-matrix of beta-deformed AdS/CFT in the strong and weak `t Hooft coupling limit to compare with exact S-matrix. For the purpose we take near BMN limit of TsT-transformed AdS_5 x S^5 with the twisted boundary condition and compute the S-matrix on worldsheet using light-cone gauge fixed Lagrangian. For the weak coupling side, we compute the S-matrix in the SU(3) sector by applying coordinate Bethe ansatz method to the one-loop dilatation operator obtained from the deformed super Yang-Mills theory. These analysis support the conjectured exact S-matrix in the le…
We study the embedding of spacetime filling D7-branes in beta-deformed backgrounds which, according to the AdS/CFT dictionary, corresponds to flavoring beta-deformed N=4 super Yang-Mills. We consider supersymmetric and more general non-supersymmetric three parameter deformations. The equations of motion for quadratic fluctuations of a probe D7-brane wrapped on a deformed three-sphere exhibit a non-trivial coupling between scalar and vector modes induced by the deformation. Nevertheless, we manage to solve them analytically and find that the mesonic mass spectrum is discrete, with a mass gap an…
We discuss the renormalisation of mixed 3-point functions involving tensorial and scalar operators in conformal field theories of general dimension. In previous work we analysed correlators of either purely scalar or purely tensorial operators, in each case finding new features and new complications: for scalar correlators, renormalisation leads to beta functions, novel conformal anomalies of type B, and unexpected analytic structure in momentum space; for correlators of stress tensors and/or conserved currents, beta functions vanish but anomalies of both type B and type A (associated with a $…
A mechanism for addressing the 'decompactification problem' is proposed, which consists of balancing the vacuum energy in Scherk-Schwarzed theories against contributions coming from non- perturbative physics. Universality of threshold corrections ensures that, in such situations, the stable minimum will have consistent gauge couplings for any gauge group that shares the same N = 2 beta function for the bulk excitations as the gauge group that takes part in the minimisation. Scherk- Schwarz compactification from 6D to 4D in heterotic strings is discussed explicitly, together with two alternativ…
There is a widely held belief that conformal field theories (CFTs) require zero beta functions. Nevertheless, the work of Jack and Osborn implies that the beta functions are not actually the quantites that decide conformality, but until recently no such behavior had been exhibited. Our recent work has led to the discovery of CFTs with nonzero beta functions, more precisely CFTs that live on recurrent trajectories, e.g., limit cycles, of the beta-function vector field. To demonstrate this we study the S function of Jack and Osborn. We use Weyl consistency conditions to show that it vanishes at …
We study QCD-like four dimensional theories in the theoretically controlled framework of deformation theory and/or twisted partition function on S*1 x R*3. By using duality, we show that a class of one-flavor theories exhibit new physical phenomena: discrete chiral symmetry breaking induced by the condensation of topological disorder operators, and confinement and the generation of mass gap due to new non-selfdual topological excitations. In the R*4 limit, we argue that the mass gap disappears, the chiral symmetry breaking vacua are of runaway type, and the theory flows to a CFT. We also study…
Anomalous dimension of the simplest nontrivial single impurity operator in the beta=1/2 deformed theory is determined at six loops from the AdS/CFT correspondence. Lüscher correction is evaluated at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in terms of multiple zeta values. The result can be simplified into the products of simple zeta functions and the same form of the correction is expected for the Konishi operator at six loops, too.
If there is a dS/CFT correspondence, time evolution in the bulk should translate to RG flows in the dual euclidean field theory. Consequently, although the dual field is expected to be non-unitary, its RG flows will carry an imprint of the unitary time evolution in the bulk. In this note we examine the prediction of holographic RG in de Sitter space for the flow of double and triple trace couplings in any proposed dual. We show quite generally that the correct form of the field theory beta functions for the double trace couplings is obtained from holography, provided one identifies the scale o…
We show that the $\mathcal{N}=0$ theories on the self-dual D3-branes of Type 0 string theory are in the class of the previously considered tadpole-free orbifolds of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ theory (although they have SO(6) global symmetry) and hence have vanishing beta function in the planar limit to all orders in 't Hooft coupling. Also, all planar amplitudes in this theory are equal to those of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ theory, up to a rescaling of the coupling.
The holographic RG flow in AdS/CFT correspondence naturally defines a holographic scheme in which the central charge c and the beta function are related by a universal formula. We perform some checks of that formula and we compare it with quantum field theory expectations. We discuss alternative definitions of the c-function. In particular, we compare, for a particular supersymmetric flow, the holographic c-function with the central charge computed directly from the two-point function of the stress-energy tensor.
We discuss several aspects of superconformal field theories in four dimensions (CFT_4), in the context of electric-magnetic duality. We analyse the behaviour of anomalous currents under RG flow to a conformal fixed point in N=1, D=4 supersymmetric gauge theories. We prove that the anomalous dimension of the Konishi current is related to the slope of the beta function at the critical point. We extend the duality map to the (nonchiral) Konishi current. As a byproduct we compute the slope of the beta function in the strong coupling regime. We note that the OPE of $T_{μν}$ with itself does not clo…
We elucidate the connection between the N=1 beta-deformed SYM theory and noncommutativity. Our starting point is the T-duality generating transformation involved in constructing the gravity duals of both beta-deformed and noncommutative gauge theories. We show that the two methods can be identified provided that a particular submatrix of the O(3,3,R) group element employed in the former case, is interpreted as the noncommutativity parameter associated with the deformation of the transverse space. It is then explained how to construct the matrix in question, relying solely on information extrac…
In this paper we present a dimensional renormalization scheme suitable for holographic theories. We use the bulk physics in the supergravity limit as a definition of the dual CFT. Similar to the perturbative quantization of a QFT, one is free to choose a convenient renormalization scheme, and the holographic renormalization method is only one such choice. We show how the bulk theory can be rendered finite with a renormalization scheme that corresponds to dimensional renormalization in the dual CFT. The method does not require any cut-offs and does not introduce any dimensionful parameters. It …
We derive the perturbative five loop anomalous dimension of the Konishi operator in N = 4 SYM theory from the integrable string sigma model by evaluating finite size effects using Luscher formulas adapted to multimagnon states at weak coupling. In addition, we derive the five loop wrapping contribution for the L=2 single impurity state in the beta deformed theory, which may be within reach of a direct perturbative computation. The Konishi expression exhibits two new features - a modification of Asymptotic Bethe Ansatz quantization and sensitiveness to an infinite set of coefficients of the BES…
Irrelevant operators in a CFT modify the usual Weyl transformation of the metric. A metric beta-function turns on, which modifies the Weyl anomalies as well. In this paper, we study the relation between bulk diffeomorphisms and Weyl transformation at the boundary when a massive scalar field, which sources irrelevant operators at the boundary, is coupled to the bulk metric. Considering the effect of the backreaction generated by the scalar field, we provide a holographic description of the boundary metric beta-function and anomalies. Our results represent an additional test of the AdS/CFT corre…
The AGT conjecture claims an equivalence of conformal blocks in 2d CFT and sums of Nekrasov functions (instantonic sums in 4d SUSY gauge theory). The conformal blocks can be presented as Dotsenko-Fateev beta-ensembles, hence, the AGT conjecture implies the equality between Dotsenko-Fateev beta-ensembles and the Nekrasov functions. In this paper, we prove it in a particular case of beta=1 (which corresponds to c = 1 at the conformal side and to epsilon_1 + epsilon_2 = 0 at the gauge theory side) in a very direct way. The central role is played by representation of the Nekrasov functions through…
We revisit AdS/CFT at finite radial cut-off, specifically in the context of double trace perturbations, $\mathbb{O}_n$= $\mathbb{O}(x) (\partial^2)^{n} {\mathcal O}(x)$, with arbitrary $n$. As well-known, the standard GKPW prescription, applied to a finite radial cut-off, leads to contact terms in correlators. de Haro et al (arXiv:hep-th/0002230) introduced bulk counterterms to remove these. However, this prescription yields additional terms in the correlator corresponding to spurious double trace deformations. Further, if we view GKPW prescription coupled with the prescription in arXiv:hep-th…
We study string solutions in the beta-deformed Sasaki-Einstein gauge/gravity dualities. We find that the BPS point-like strings move in the submanifolds where the two U(1) circles shrink to zero size. In the corresponding T^3 fibration description, the strings live on the edges of the polyhedron, where the T^3 fibration degenerates to T^1. Moreover, we find that for each deformed Sasaki-Einstein manifold the BPS string solutions exist only for particular values of the deformation parameter. Our results imply that in the dual field theory the corresponding BPS operators exist only for these par…
We consider the AdS/CFT correspondence between the beta-deformed supersymmetric gauge theory and the type IIB string theory on the Lunin-Maldacena background. Guided by gauge theory results, we modify and extend the supergravity solution of Lunin and Maldacena in two ways. First we make it to be doubly periodic in the deformation parameter, beta -> beta+1 and beta -> beta+tau_0, to match the beta-periodicity property of the dual gauge theory. Secondly, we reconcile the SL(2,Z) symmetry of the gauge theory, which acts on the constant parameters tau_0 and beta, with the SL(2,Z) invariance of the…
According to recent arguments by the author, the conformal field theory (CFT) describing the scaling limit of the integer quantum Hall plateau transition is a deformed level-4 Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten model with Riemannian target space inside a complex Lie supergroup GL. After a summary of that proposal and some of its predictions, the leading irrelevant and relevant perturbations of the proposed CFT are discussed. Argued to be marginal, these result in a non-standard renormalization group (RG) flow near criticality, which calls for modified finite-size scaling analysis and may explain the l…
We consider $U(N)$ SQCD on $S^5$ and propose a Higgs branch-like expression for its partition function. We support the result by arguing that the knowledge of certain BPS codimension 2 and 4 defects arising from Higgsing is enough to reconstruct the bulk partition function, and that the defect partition functions satisfy a set of non-perturbative Schwinger-Dyson equations. We show that the result is consistent with, and naturally come from, the BPS/CFT perspective. In this language, the defect partition functions are identified with free boson correlators of the $q$-Virasoro modular triple, an…
We study dynamics of two-dimensional non-abelian gauge theories with N=(0,2) supersymmetry that include N=(0,2) supersymmetric QCD and its generalizations. In particular, we present the phase diagram of N=(0,2) SQCD and determine its massive and low-energy spectrum. We find that the theory has no mass gap, a nearly constant distribution of massive states, and lots of massless states that in general flow to an interacting CFT. For a range of parameters where supersymmetry is not dynamically broken at low energies, we give a complete description of the low-energy physics in terms of 2d N=(0,2) S…
Marginal beta deformations of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory are known to correspond to a certain class of deformations of the S^5 background subspace of type IIB string theory in AdS_5 x S^5. An analogous set of deformations of the AdS_5 subspace is reviewed here. String energy spectra computed in the near-pp-wave limit of these backgrounds match predictions encoded by discrete, asymptotic Bethe equations, suggesting that the twisted string theory is classically integrable in this regime. These Bethe equations can be derived algorithmically by relying on the existence of Lax representations, and…
We show that dilaton beta-function equation in the brane-like sigma-model (regarded as NSR analogue of string theory on $AdS_5\times{S^5}$) has the form of stochastic Langevin equation with non-Markovian noise. The worldsheet cutoff is identified with stochastic time and the $V_5$-operator plays the role of the noise. We derive the Fokker-Planck equation associated with this stochastic process and show that the Hamiltonian of the $AdS_5$ supergravity defines the distribution satisfying this Fokker-Planck equation. This means that the dynamical compactification of flat ten-dimensional space-tim…
We study the Type IIA limit of the M theory fivebrane configuration corresponding to N=1 supersymmetric QCD with massless quarks. We identify the effective gauge coupling constant that fits with Novikov-Shifman-Veinshtein-Zakharov exact beta function. We find two different Type IIA limits that correspond to the electric and magnetic descriptions of SQCD, as observed in the massive case by Schmaltz and Sundrum. The analysis is extended to the case of symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups. In any of the cases considered in this paper, the electric and magnetic configurations are smoothly interp…
We show that type 0B theory has a classical AdS_5 x S^5 solution and argue that it is stable at the string-theory level for small enough radius. The dual 4-d conformal field theory is the infrared limit of the theory on N electric D3-branes coincident with N magnetic D3-branes. We explicitly construct this SU(N) x SU(N) gauge theory with global SO(6) symmetry and verify that the one-loop term in the beta function vanishes exactly, while the two-loop term vanishes in the large N limit. We find that this theory is related by a certain projection to the maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory …
We calculate the beta function of non-linear sigma models with S^{D+1} and AdS_{D+1} target spaces in a 1/D expansion up to order 1/D^2 and to all orders in α'. This beta function encodes partial information about the spacetime effective action for the heterotic string to all orders in α'. We argue that a zero of the beta function, corresponding to a worldsheet CFT with AdS_{D+1} target space, arises from competition between the one-loop and higher-loop terms, similarly to the bosonic and supersymmetric cases studied previously in hep-th/0512355. Various critical exponents of the non-linear si…
It is well-known that the non-supersymmetric D3 brane (a cousin of BPS D3 brane) including its black version of type IIB string theory has a decoupling limit, where the decoupled geometry is the gravity dual of a non-supersymmetric, non-conformal (finite temperature) quantum field theory having some properties similar to QCD. Using the ideas of AdS/CFT we study some non-perturbative aspects of this quantum field theory. Since in this case we have a Yang-Mills theory (no quarks) with running coupling (non-constant dilaton), we compute the gluon condensate in this theory as a function of tempera…
We analyze the supersymmetry conditions for a class of SU(2) structure backgrounds of Type IIB supergravity, corresponding to a specific ansatz for the supersymmetry parameters. These backgrounds are relevant for the AdS/CFT correspondence since they are suitable to describe mass deformations or beta-deformations of four-dimensional superconformal gauge theories. Using Generalized Complex Geometry we show that these geometries are characterized by a closed nowhere-vanishing vector field and a modified fundamental form which is also closed. The vector field encodes the information about the sup…
In the context of AdS/CFT with flavor, we consider the type IIB supergravity solution corresponding to a fully localized D3/D7 intersection. We complete the standard metric ansatz by providing an analytic expression for the warp factor, under the assumption of a logarithmically running axion-dilaton. From the gauge dual perspective, this behavior is related to the positive beta function of the N=4, d=4 SU(N_c) super Yang-Mills gauge theory, coupled to N_f fundamental N=2 hypermultiplets. We comment on the existence of tadpoles and relate them to the same gauge theory beta function. Next we con…
A class of marginal deformations of four-dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory has been found to correspond to a set of smooth, multiparameter deformations of the S^5 target subspace in the holographic dual on AdS_5 x S^5. We present here an analogous set of deformations that act on global toroidal isometries in the AdS_5 subspace. Remarkably, certain sectors of the string theory remain classically integrable in this larger class of so-called gamma-deformed AdS_5 x S^5 backgrounds. Relying on studies of deformed su(2)_gamma models, we formulate a local sl(2)_gamma Lax representation that adm…
For a scalar CFT with a monodromy defect, a `subtracted Green function' is derived in terms of an Appell $F_1$ function. A conjectured relation of Gimenez-Grau and Liendo is thereby proved and extended and shown to hold for generalised free fields. A possible means of determining the bulk block expansion is outlined. Finite coincidence limits are expressed as combinations of Beta functions.
We show that a "constructive derivation" of the AdS/CFT correspondence based on the quantum local renormalization group in large N quantum field theories consistently provides the a-c holographic Weyl anomaly in d=4 at the curvature squared order in the bulk action. The consistency of the construction further predicts the form of the metric beta function.
D-instantons are used to probe the near-horizon geometry of D3-branes systems on orbifold spaces. For fractional D3-branes, D-instanton calculus correctly reproduces the gauge beta-function and U(1)_R anomaly of the corresponding N=2 non-conformal Super Yang-Mills theories. For D3-branes wrapping the orbifold singularity, D-instantons can be identified with gauge instantons on ALE space, providing evidence of AdS/CFT duality for gauge theories on curved spaces.
We discuss four dimensional renormalization group flows which preserve sixteen supersymmetries. In the infra-red, these can be viewed as deformations of the N=4 superconformal fixed points by special, irrelevant operators. It is argued that the gauge coupling beta function continues to vanish identically, for all coupling constants and energy scales, for such RG flows. In addition, the dimensions of all operators in short supersymmetry representations are constant along such flows. It is conjectured that there is a generalization of the AdS/CFT holography correspondence which describes such fl…
Wrapping a D(8-p)-brane on AdS_2 times a submanifold of S^{8-p} introduces point-like defects in the context of AdS/CFT correspondence for a Dp-brane background. We classify and work out the details in all possible cases with a single embedding angular coordinate. Brane embeddings of the temperature and beta-deformed near horizon D3-brane backgrounds are also examined. We comment on the relevance of our results to holographic lattices and dimers.
We study the scalar $ϕ^3$ theory above six dimensions. The beta function $β(g)=-εg-\frac{3}{4}g^3$ in $d=6-2ε$ dimensions has a UV fixed point when $ε<0$. Like the $O(N)$ vector models above four dimensions, such a fixed point observed perturbatively in fact corresponds to a pair of complex CFTs separated by a branch cut. Using both the numerical bootstrap method and Gliozzi's fusion rule truncation method, we argue that the fixed points of the $ϕ^3$ theory above six dimensions exist.
We propose a definition of the Wilson loop operator in the N=1 beta-deformed supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. Although the operator is not BPS, it has a finite expectation value at least up to order (g^2 N)^2. This does not happen generally for a generic non-BPS Wilson loop whose expectation value is UV divergent. For this reason we call this a near-BPS Wilson loop and conjecture that its exact expectation value is finite. We derive the general form of the boundary condition satisfied by the dual string worldsheet and find that it is deformed. Finiteness of the expectation value of the Wilson…
In superstring theory of type II, the separated brane-antibrane pair admits a bi-fundamental tachyon in its open string spectrum, for any separation less than the critical distance. The dynamics of this system would be described by the Garousi's effective action for any non-zero separation. Our study shows however that the domain of validity of this action only includes space-like tachyon condensation. Previous studies led by Bagchi and Sen showed that, in a partial sub-critical domain, exists a conformal field theory (CFT), which describes a dynamical condensation at static distance, called r…
We construct a general class of exact, regular black hole solutions with toroidal horizon topology in 5-dimensional AdS gravity with a self-interacting scalar field. Due to the non-trivial backreaction of the scalar field, the no-hair theorems can be evaded so that an event horizon can be formed. The scalar field is regular everywhere outside the curvature singularity and it vanishes at the boundary where the potential is finite. We study the properties of these black holes in the context of AdS/CFT duality and comment on the dual operators, which saturate the unitarity bound. We present exact…
We discuss the interpaly between IR and UV divergences in theories with open and unoriented strings in view of the AdS/CFT correspondence. We start by deriving general formulas for the computation of threshold corrections to gauge couplings in generic configurations with open and unoriented strings. These allow us to discuss the IR/UV correspondence between beta-function coefficients and ``dilaton'' tadpoles for several brane configurations probed by D3-branes. Finally we comment on the AdS supergravity descriptions of gauge theories that are (super)conformal in the large N limit.
We review the quiver matrix model (the ITEP model) in the light of the recent progress on 2d-4d connection of conformal field theories, in particular, on the relation between Toda field theories and a class of quiver superconformal gauge theories. On the basis of the CFT representation of the beta deformation of the model, a quantum spectral curve is introduced as << det (x- i g_s \partial ϕ(z)) >>=0 at finite N and for beta \neq 1. The planar loop equation in the large N limit follows with the aid of W_n constraints. Residue analysis is provided both for the curve of the matrix model with the…
We study gauge threshold corrections for systems of fractional branes at local orientifold singularities and compare with the general Kaplunovsky-Louis expression for locally supersymmetric N=1 gauge theories. We focus on branes at orientifolds of the C^3/Z_4, C^3/Z_6 and C^3/Z_6' singularities. We provide a CFT construction of these theories and compute the threshold corrections. Gauge coupling running undergoes two phases: one phase running from the bulk winding scale to the string scale, and a second phase running from the string scale to the infrared. The first phase is associated to the c…
We determine complete one-loop beta functions of the multi-scalar four-point couplings in four-dimensional $SU(N)$ gauge theories with $M$ adjoint scalar multiplets. For adjoints scalars, the sign of the one loop gauge coupling beta function depends solely on $M$, vanishing and changing sign precisely at $M=22$. For the multi-scalar potential at fixed gauge coupling we find several fixed points with different stability properties at large $N$. The analysis crucially involves the full set of four $SU(N)$ and $O(M)$ invariant single trace and double trace couplings. Taking the gauge coupling int…
