The correlators of free four dimensional conformal field theories (CFT4) have been shown to be given by amplitudes in two-dimensional $so(4,2)$ equivariant topological field theories (TFT2), by using a vertex operator formalism for the correlators. We show that this can be extended to perturbative interacting conformal field theories, using two representation theoretic constructions. A co-product deformation for the conformal algebra accommodates the equivariant construction of composite operators in the presence of non-additive anomalous dimensions. Explicit expressions for the co-product deformation are given within a sector of $ \mathcal{N} =4 $ SYM and for the Wilson-Fischer fixed point near four dimensions. The extension of conformal equivariance beyond integer dimensions (relevant for the Wilson-Fischer fixed point) leads to the definition of an associative diagram algebra $ {\bf U}_{*} $, abstracted from $ Uso(d)$ in the limit of large integer $d$, which admits extension of $ Uso(d)$ representation theory to general real (or complex) $d$. The algebra is related, via oscillator realisations, to $so(d)$ equivariant maps and Brauer category diagrams. Tensor representations are constructed where the diagram algebra acts on tensor products of a fundamental diagram representation. A similar diagrammatic algebra ${\bf U}_{\star ,2}$, related to a general $d$ extension for $ Uso(d,2)$ is defined, and some of its lowest weight representations relevant to the Wilson-Fischer fixed point are described.
The possibility that non-supersymmetric quiver theories may have a renormalization-group fixed point at which there is conformal invariance requires non-perturbative information.
Conformal block is a function of many variables, usually represented as a formal series, with coefficients which are certain matrix elements in the chiral (e.g. Virasoro) algebra. Non-perturbative conformal block is a multi-valued function, defined globally over the space of dimensions, with many branches and, perhaps, additional free parameters, not seen at the perturbative level. We discuss additional complications of non-perturbative description, caused by the fact that all the best studied examples of conformal blocks lie at the singularity locus in the moduli space (at divisors of the coe…
We investigate the moduli space of conformal field theories by setting up a canonical mathematical process for exponentiating perturbations corresponding to critical fields. We apply this process to the free field theory and the Gepner models of the Fermat quintic and quartic. We find algebraic obstructions to exponentiating purely perturbative deformations in the case of the quintic, while in the case of the quartic the obstructions vanish. While this result may seem surprising at first, we find an explanation of these effects via the renormalization analysis of Nemeschansky-Sen.
We explore the Mellin representation of correlation functions in conformal field theories in the weak coupling regime. We provide a complete proof for a set of Feynman rules to write the Mellin amplitude for a general tree level Feynman diagram involving only scalar operators. We find a factorised form involving beta functions associated to the propagators, similar to tree level Feynman rules in momentum space for ordinary QFTs. We also briefly consider the case where a generic scalar perturbation of the free CFT breaks conformal invariance. Mellin space still has some utility and one can cons…
We study the four-gluon scattering amplitude in the high energy limit of QCD written in terms of its conformal expansion. We highlight the need to include both even and odd conformal spin contributions in order to map it to an iterative representation in rapidity and transverse momentum space which we have evaluated numerically. By Fourier expanding in a set of three azimuthal angles, we find a new form for the amplitude in terms of $_4F_3$ hypergeometric functions. An alternative formulation is possible when connecting this Fourier expansion with Bessel kernels studied in analytic number theo…
We give a non-perturbative completion of a class of closed topological string theories in terms of building blocks of dual open strings. In the specific case where the open string is given by a matrix model these blocks correspond to a choice of integration contour. We then apply this definition to the AGT setup where the dual matrix model has logarithmic potential and is conjecturally equivalent to Liouville conformal field theory. By studying the natural contours of these matrix integrals and their monodromy properties, we propose a precise map between topological string blocks and Liouville…
We apply the analytic conformal bootstrap method to study weakly coupled conformal gauge theories in four dimensions. We employ twist conformal blocks to find the most general form of the one-loop four-point correlation function of identical scalar operators, without any reference to Feynman calculations. The method relies only on symmetries of the model. In particular, it does not require introducing any regularisation and it is free from the redundancies usually associated with the Feynman approach. By supplementing the general solution with known data for a small number of operators, we rec…
We give a holographic description of global conformal blocks in two dimensional conformal field theory on the sphere and on the torus. We show that the conformal blocks for one-point functions on the torus can be written as Witten diagrams in thermal AdS. This is accomplished by deriving a general conformal Casimir equation for global conformal blocks, and showing that Witten diagrams obey the same equation. We study the semi-classical limit of n-point conformal blocks, and show that these equal the action of a network of bulk world-lines obeying appropriate geodesic equations. We give an alte…
We consider large-$c$ $n$-point Virasoro blocks with $n-k$ background heavy operators and $k$ perturbative heavy operators. Conformal dimensions of heavy operators scale linearly with large $c$, while splitting into background/perturbative operators assumes an additional perturbative expansion. Such conformal blocks can be calculated within the monodromy method that basically reduces to solving auxiliary Fuchsian second-order equation and finding monodromy of solutions. We show that there exist particular variables that we call holographic, use of which drastically simplifies the whole analysi…
We revisit the problem of performing conformal block decomposition of exchange Witten diagrams in the crossed channel. Using properties of conformal blocks and Witten diagrams, we discover infinitely many linear relations among the crossed channel decomposition coefficients. These relations allow us to formulate a recursive algorithm that solves the decomposition coefficients in terms of certain seed coefficients. In one dimensional CFTs, the seed coefficient is the decomposition coefficient of the double-trace operator with the lowest conformal dimension. In higher dimensions, the seed coeffi…
We perform perturbative computations in a lattice gauge theory with a conformal measure that is quadratic in a non-compact abelian gauge field and is nonlocal, as inspired by the induced gauge action in massless QED$_3$. In a previous work, we showed that coupling fermion sources to the gauge model led to nontrivial conformal data in the correlation functions of fermion bilinears that are functions of charge $q$ of the fermion. In this paper, we compute such gauge invariant fermionic observables to order $q^2$ in lattice perturbation theory with the same conformal measure. We reproduce the exp…
It is proved that classical BRS-invariance of the Lagrangian implies perturbative gauge invariance for tree diagrams to all orders. The proof applies in particular to the Einstein Hilbert Largrangian of gravity.
We develop a new method for decomposing Witten diagrams into conformal blocks. The steps involved are elementary, requiring no explicit integration, and operate directly in position space. Central to this construction is an appealingly simple answer to the question: what object in AdS computes a conformal block? The answer is a "geodesic Witten diagram," which is essentially an ordinary exchange Witten diagram, except that the cubic vertices are not integrated over all of AdS, but only over bulk geodesics connecting the boundary operators. In particular, we consider the case of four-point func…
Conformal field theories play a central role in theoretical physics with many applications ranging from condensed matter to string theory. The conformal bootstrap studies conformal field theories using mathematical consistency conditions and has seen great progress over the last decade. In this thesis we present an implementation of analytic bootstrap methods for perturbative conformal field theories in dimensions greater than two, which we achieve by combining large spin perturbation theory with the Lorentzian inversion formula. In the presence of a small expansion parameter, not necessarily …
We study CFT$_2$ Virasoro conformal blocks of the 4-point correlation function $\langle \mathcal{O}_L \mathcal{O}_H \mathcal{O}_H \mathcal{O}_H \rangle $ with three background operators $\mathcal{O}_H$ and one perturbative operator $\mathcal{O}_L$ of dimensions $Δ_L/Δ_H \ll1$. The conformal block function is calculated in the large central charge limit using the monodromy method. From the holographic perspective, the background operators create $AdS_3$ space with three conical singularities parameterized by dimensions $Δ_H$, while the perturbative operator corresponds to the geodesic line stre…
A general algorithm is presented which gives a closed-form expression for an arbitrary perturbative diagram of cubic string field theory at any loop order. For any diagram, the resulting expression is given by an integral of a function of several infinite matrices, each built from a finite number of blocks containing the Neumann coefficients of Witten's 3-string vertex. The closed-form expression for any diagram can be approximated by level truncation on oscillator level, giving a computation involving finite size matrices. Some simple tree and loop diagrams are worked out as examples of this …
In a series of three projects a new technique which allows for higher-loop renormalisation on a manifold with boundary has been developed and used in order to assess the effects of the boundary on the dynamical behaviour of the theory. Commencing with a conceptual approach to the theoretical underpinnings of the, underlying, spherical formulation of Euclidean Quantum Field Theory this overview presents an outline of the stated technique's conceptual development, mathematical formalism and physical significance.
A convenient integral representation for zig-zag four-point and two-point planar Feynman diagrams relevant to the bi-scalar D-dimensional fishnet field theory is obtained. This representation gives a possibility to evaluate exactly diagrams of the zig-zag series in special cases. In particular, we give a fairly simple proof of the Broadhurst-Kreimer conjecture about the values of zig-zag multi-loop two-point diagrams which make a significant contribution to the renormalization group beta-function in 4-dimensional phi^4 theory.
We consider the Steiner tree problem in hyperbolic geometry in the context of the AdS/CFT duality between large-$c$ conformal blocks on the boundary and particle motions in the bulk. The Steiner trees are weighted graphs on the Poincare disk with a number of endpoints and trivalent vertices connected to each other by edges in such a way that an overall length is minimum. We specify a particular class of Steiner trees that we call holographic. Their characteristic property is that a holographic Steiner tree with $N$ endpoints can be inscribed into an $N$-gon with $N-1$ ideal vertices. The holog…
We study N=2 super-conformal field theories in four dimensions that correspond to mass-deformed linear quivers with n gauge groups and (bi-)fundamental matter. We describe them using Seiberg-Witten curves obtained from an M-theory construction and via the AGT correspondence. We take particular care in obtaining the detailed relation between the parameters appearing in these descriptions and the physical quantities of the quiver gauge theories. This precise map allows us to efficiently reconstruct the non-perturbative prepotential that encodes the effective IR properties of these theories. We g…
We explore AdS/CFT correspondence between geodesic Witten diagrams and conformal blocks (conformal partial waves) with an external symmetric traceless tensor field. We derive an expression for the conformal partial wave with an external spin-1 field and show that this expression is equivalent to the amplitude of the geodesic Witten diagram. We also show the equivalence by using conformal Casimir equation in embedding formalism. Furthermore, we extend the construction of the amplitude of the geodesic Witten diagram to an external arbitrary symmetric traceless tensor field. We show our construct…
We investigate extended Wilson loop operators, in particular tetrahedron operator in (2 + 1)-dimensional Chern-Simons-Witten theory. This operator emerges naturally from the contribution terms in twoparticle scattering amplitude. We evaluate this diagram non-perturbatively in terms of vacuum expectation values of Wilson loop operators, especially for gauge group SU(N) with specific choices of representations. On the other hand, we also discuss the perturbative calculation of vacuum expectation value in this theory. We show that, up to the third order, this values of unknotted Wilson loop opera…
Conformal symmetry-based relations between concrete perturbative QED and QCD approximations for the Bjorken, the Ellis-Jaffe sum rules of polarized lepton- nucleon deep-inelastic scattering (DIS), the Gross-Llewellyn Smith sum rules of neutrino-nucleon DIS, and for the Adler functions of axial-vector and vector channels are derived. They result from the application of the operator product expansion to three triangle Green functions, constructed from the non-singlet axial-vector, and two vector currents, the singlet axial-vector and two non-singlet vector currents and the non-singlet axial-vect…
This review covers a number of applications of conformal field theory methods for perturbative calculations in N=4 Super Yang-Mills and ABJM theory. After motivating the role of superconformal symmetry for elementary particle physics research, we review some basic facts about conformal symmetry and conformal transformations of fields in a pedagogical manner. The implications for perturbative quantum field theory calculations are discussed in terms of Ward identities. Recent developments and relations between amplitudes, correlators and Wilson loops are reviewed for N=4 Super Yang-Mills as well…
The relationship between locality graphs and deconstruction hierarchies of conformal models is explained, leading to computationally effective procedures for determining the latter, and the relevant notions are illustrated with several examples.
We investigate perturbative aspects of gravity with a general F(R) Lagrangian, as well as nonperturbative dilatonic solutions. For the first part, we are interested in stability and the definition of asymptotic charges. The main result of this study is that, while generic F(R) theories are stable under metric perturbations, they are expected to show instabilities against curvature perturbations when the Lagrangian includes 1/R terms. For the second part, one is interested on exact solutions, and we explicitly construct kink-like solutions of the Liouville type for the dilaton field for F(R) ha…
Conformal blocks are the fundamental, theory-independent building blocks in any CFT, so it is important to understand their holographic representation in the context of AdS/CFT. We describe how to systematically extract the holographic objects which compute higher-point global (scalar) conformal blocks in arbitrary spacetime dimensions, extending the result for the four-point block, known in the literature as a geodesic Witten diagram, to five- and six-point blocks. The main new tools which allow us to obtain such representations are various higher-point propagator identities, which can be int…
This note is based on the summary of our book entitled "Non-perturbative field theoryfrom two dimensional conformal field theory to QCD in four dimensions", published recently by Cambridge University Press. It includes 436 pages. The book provides a detailed description of the tool box of non-perturbative techniques, presents applications of them to simplified systems, mainly of gauge dynamics in two dimensions, and examines the lessons one can learn from those systems about four dimensional QCD and hadron physics. In particular the book deals with conformal invariance, integrability, bosoniza…
In the present work we discuss aspects of the 1/N expansion in the SYK model, formulated in terms of the semiclassical expansion of the bilocal field path integral. We derive cutting rules, which are applicable for all planar vertices in the bilocal field diagrams. We show that these cutting rules lead to novel identities on higher-point correlators, which could be used to constrain their form beyond the solvable conformal limit. We also demonstrate how the cutting rules can simplify the computation of amplitudes on an example of the six-point function.
Static, spherically symmetric solutions to the semi-classical Einstein equation are studied, including the effect of the quantum energy-momentum tensor for conformal matters with 4D Weyl anomaly. Through both perturbative and non-perturbative methods, we show that the quantum effect can play a crucial role in shaping the near-horizon geometry, and that the existence of the horizon requires fine-tuning.
A physical characterization of Landau singularities is emphasized, which should trace the lower boundary N_f^* of the conformal window in QCD and supersymmetric QCD. A natural way to disentangle ``perturbative'' from ``non-perturbative'' contributions below N_f^* is suggested. Assuming an infrared fixed point is present in the perturbative part of the QCD coupling even in some range below N_f^* leads to the condition gamma(N_f^*)=1, where gamma is the critical exponent. This result is incompatible with the existence of an analogue of Seiberg free dual magnetic phase in QCD. Using the Banks-Zak…
Generic models of cosmological inflation and the recently proposed scenarios of a recycling universe and the string theory landscape predict spacetimes whose global geometry is a stochastic, self-similar fractal. To visualize the complicated causal structure of such a universe, one usually draws a conformal (Carter-Penrose) diagram. I develop a new method for drawing conformal diagrams, applicable to arbitrary 1+1-dimensional spacetimes. This method is based on a qualitative analysis of intersecting lightrays and thus avoids the need for explicit transformations of the spacetime metric. To dem…
We present a general study of 3-point functions of conformal field theory in momentum space, following a reconstruction method for tensor correlators, based on the solution of the conformal Ward identities (CWI' s), introduced in recent works by Bzowski, McFadden and Skenderis (BMS). We investigate and detail the structure of the CWI's, their non-perturbative solutions and the transition to momentum space, comparing them to perturbation theory by taking QED as an example. We then proceed with an analysis of the $TJJ$ correlator, presenting independent and detailed re-derivations of the conform…
We present the holographic object which computes the five-point global conformal block in arbitrary dimensions for external and exchanged scalar operators. This object is interpreted as a weighted sum over infinitely many five-point geodesic bulk diagrams. These five-point geodesic bulk diagrams provide a generalization of their previously studied four-point counterparts. We prove our claim by showing that the aforementioned sum over geodesic bulk diagrams is the appropriate eigenfunction of the conformal Casimir operator with the right boundary conditions. This result rests on crucial inspira…
Within QCD reggeon field theory we study the formation of two subsequent triple pomeron vertices in the process P$\to$PP$\to$PPP. We make use of an earlier investigation ~\cite{Bartels:1999aw} of the six-reggeon amplitude in deep inelastic scattering and show that in the large-$N_c$ limit pomeron fan diagrams emerge with the same triple pomeron vertex in all places. We thus confirm the BK-equation, but we also find additional terms related to the reggeization of the gluon, and we discuss their potential significance. Our analysis also includes the general pomeron $\to$ two odderon vertex: a pa…
Starting from the space of Lorentzian metrics, we examine the full gravitational path integral in 3 and 4 space-time dimensions. Inspired by recent results obtained in a regularized, dynamically triangulated formulation of Lorentzian gravity, we gauge-fix to proper-time coordinates and perform a non-perturbative ``Wick rotation'' on the physical configuration space. Under certain assumptions about the behaviour of the partition function under renormalization, we find that the divergence due to the conformal modes of the metric is cancelled non-perturbatively by a Faddeev-Popov determinant cont…
A recent claim that the S-duality between 4d SUSY gauge theories, which is AGT related to the modular transformations of 2d conformal blocks, is no more than an ordinary Fourier transform at the perturbative level, is further traced down to the commutation relation [P,Q]=-i\hbar between the check-operator monodromies of the exponential resolvent operator in the underlying Dotsenko-Fateev matrix models and beta-ensembles. To this end, we treat the conformal blocks as eigenfunctions of the monodromy check operators, what is especially simple in the case of one-point toric block. The kernel of th…
Witten diagrams are basic objects for studying dynamics in AdS space, and also play key roles in the analytic functional bootstrap. However, these diagrams are notoriously hard to evaluate, making it extremely difficult to search for recursion relations among them. In this note, we present simple methods to obtain recursion relations for exchange Witten diagrams from conformal block recursion relations. We discover a variety of new relations, including the dimensional reduction formulae for exchange Witten diagrams. In particular, we find a five-term recursion relation relating exchange Witten…
In this paper we discuss geodesic Witten diagrams in general holographic conformal field theories with boundary or defect. In boundary or defect conformal field theory, two-point functions are non-trivial and can be decomposed into conformal blocks in two distinct ways; ambient channel decomposition and boundary channel decomposition. In our previous work we only consider two-point functions of same operators. We generalize our previous work to a situation where operators in two-point functions are different. We obtain two distinct decomposition for two-point functions of different operators.
We derive short UIR's of the OSp(8/4,R) superalgebra of 3d N=8 superconformal field theories by the requirement that the highest weight states are annihilated by a subset of the super-Poincare odd generators. We then find a superfield realization of these BPS saturated UIR's as "composite operators" of the two basic ultrashort "supersingleton" multiplets. These representations are the AdS4 analogue of BPS states preserving different fractions of supersymmetry and are therefore suitable to classify perturbative and non-perturbative excitations of M-theory compactifications.
Quantum field theories in AdS generate conformal correlation functions on the boundary, and in the limit where AdS is nearly flat one should be able to extract an S-matrix from such correlators. We discuss a particularly simple position-space procedure to do so. It features a direct map from boundary positions to (on-shell) momenta and thereby relates cross ratios to Mandelstam invariants. This recipe succeeds in several examples, includes the momentum-conserving delta functions, and can be shown to imply the two proposals in arXiv:1607.06109 based on Mellin space and on the OPE data. Interest…
Following up on the recent work of Cachazo, He and Yuan \cite{arXiv:1503.04816 [hep-th]}, we derive the double soft graviton theorem in perturbative gravity. We show that the double soft theorem derived using CHY formula precisely matches with the perturbative computation involving Feynman diagrams. In particular, we find how certain delicate limits of Feynman diagrams play an important role in obtaining this equivalence.
We study a holographic construction of conformal blocks in the Regge limit of four-point scalar correlation functions by using coordinates of the two-sided Rindler-AdS black hole. As a generalization of geodesic Witten diagrams, we construct diagrams with four external scalar fields in the Rindler-AdS black hole by integrating over two half-geodesics between the centers of Penrose diagrams and points at the AdS boundary. We demonstrate that late-time behaviors of the diagrams coincide with the Regge behaviors of conformal blocks. We also point out their relevance with the pole-skipping phenome…
We use fractional and wrapped branes to describe perturbative and nonperturbative properties of the gauge theories living on their worldvolume. (Talk given at the 35th International Symposium Ahrenshoop on the Theory of Elementary Particles, Wernsdorf, August 26-30, 2002.)
Using the example of a two dimensional four-fermion lattice field theory we demonstrate that Feynman diagrams can generate a mass gap when massless fermions interact via a marginally relevant coupling. We introduce an infrared cutoff through the finite system size so that the perturbation series for the partition function and observables become convergent. We then use the Monte Carlo approach to sample sufficiently high orders of diagrams to expose the presence of a mass gap in the lattice model.
We show that the calculation of L-loop Feynman integrals in D dimensions can be reduced to a series of matrix multiplications in D times L dimensions. This gives rise to a new type of expansions for the critical exponents in three dimensions in which all coefficients can be calculated exactly.
A physical characterization of Landau singularities is emphasized, which should trace the lower boundary N_f^* of the conformal window in QCD and supersymmetric QCD. A natural way to disentangle ``perturbative'' from ``non-perturbative'' contributions to amplitudes below N_f^* is suggested. Assuming an infrared fixed point persists in the perturbative part of the QCD coupling even below N_f^* leads to the condition γ(N_f^*)=1, where γis the critical exponent. Using the Banks-Zaks expansion, one gets 4<N_f^*<6. This result is incompatible with the existence of an analogue of Seiberg duality in …
Higher-order perturbative calculations in Quantum (Field) Theory suffer from the factorial increase of the number of individual diagrams. Here I describe an approach which evaluates the total contribution numerically for finite temperature from the cumulant expansion of the corresponding observable followed by an extrapolation to zero temperature. This method (originally proposed by Bogolyubov and Plechko) is applied to the calculation of higher-order terms for the ground-state energy of the polaron. Using state-of-the-art multidimensional integration routines 2 new coefficients are obtained c…
The Schwinger-Dyson equations for Green functions and 3-vertexes in planar approximation used 50 years ago in the earlier theory of conformal bootstrap are written in frames of the AdS/CFT correspondence. The technique of "Wightman-Witten" diagrams is used in calculations of the bubble bulk diagrams that permitted to obtain the values of conformal dimensions of primary operators in two models of the interacting bulk scalar fields which conformal dimensions obey "extremal" relation. Simple expressions for the four-point tree "Wightman-Witten" correlators of these primary operators are obtained …
In this paper we discuss geodesic Witten diagrams in generic holographic conformal field theories with boundary or defect. Boundary CFTs allow two different decompositions of two-point functions into conformal blocks: boundary channel and ambient channel. Building on earlier work, we derive a holographic dual of the boundary channel decomposition in terms of bulk-to-bulk propagators on lower dimensional AdS slices. In the situation in which we can treat the boundary or defect as a perturbation around pure AdS spacetime, we obtain the leading corrections to the two-point function both in bounda…
