We study O(n)-symmetric two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) for a continuous range of n below two. These CFTs describe the fixed point behavior of self-avoiding loops. There is a pair of known fixed points connected by an RG flow. When n is equal to two, which corresponds to the Kosterlitz-Thouless critical theory, the fixed points collide. We find that for n generic these CFTs are logarithmic and contain negative norm states; in particular, the O(n) currents belong to a staggered logarithmic multiplet. Using a conformal bootstrap approach we trace how the negative norm states decouple at n = 2, restoring unitarity. The IR fixed point possesses a local relevant operator, singlet under all known global symmetries of the CFT, and, nevertheless, it can be reached by an RG flow without tuning. Besides, we observe logarithmic correlators in the closely related Potts model.
We propose a contour integral representation for the one-point correlators at genus one of the primaries of a family of rational logarithmic conformal field theories.
We describe an approach to logarithmic conformal field theories as limits of sequences of ordinary conformal field theories with varying central charge c. Logarithmic behaviour arises from degeneracies in the spectrum of scaling dimensions at certain values of c. The theories we consider are all invariant under some internal symmetry group, and logarithmic behaviour occurs when the decomposition of the physical observables into irreducible operators becomes singular. Examples considered are quenched random magnets using the replica formalism, self-avoiding walks as the n->0 of the O(n) model, …
We utilise bosonic Fock spaces, considered as Virasoro modules, to make free field realisations of the so-called staggered modules of two-dimensional logarithmic conformal field theories. A general formula for the $β$-invariant of a staggered Fock module is derived, and found to agree with values previously known in the literature. In this way a large class of staggered modules is produced; one which provides an explicit free-field construction for many of those previously studied. We show how these modules can arise algebraically by including the modes of weight-$0$ fields into the algebra.
The unitary Fermi gas, by virtue of its description as a nonrelativistic conformal field theory, has proven an interesting system by which the quantum properties of CFT can be held to experimental verification. Here, we examine the structure of conformal dimensions of charge-Q operators in nonrelativistic CFT, in the large-Q regime, from the non-linear sigma model perspective. We discuss in detail the renormalization of edge divergences using dimensional regularization, elucidating the presence of $\log(Q)$ terms in the large-charge expansion. Finally we use dimensional regularization to compu…
It has long been understood that non-trivial Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) with vanishing central charge ($c=0$) are logarithmic. So far however, the structure of the identity module -- the (left and right) Virasoro descendants of the identity field -- had not been elucidated beyond the stress-energy tensor $T$ and its logarithmic partner $t$ (the solution of the "$c\to 0$ catastrophe"). In this paper, we determine this structure together with the associated OPE of primary fields up to level $h=\bar{h}=2$ for polymers and percolation CFTs. This is done by taking the $c\to 0$ limit of $O(n)$ …
We discuss the link between string backgrounds and the associated world-sheet CFTs. In the search for new backgrounds and CFTs, Penrose limits and Lie algebra contractions are important tools. The Nappi-Witten construction and the recently discovered logarithmic CFT by Bakas and Sfetsos, are considered as illustrations. We also speculate on possible extensions.
We examine the properties of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) with vanishing central charge based on the extended Kac-table for c_(9,6)=0 using a general ansatz for the stress energy tensor residing in a Jordan cell of rank two. Within this setup we will derive the OPEs and two point functions of the stress energy tensor T(z) and its logarithmic partner field t(z) and illustrate this by a bosonic field realization. We will show why our approach may be more promising than those chosen in the literature so far, including a discussion on properties of the augmented minimal model wi…
We study the time evolution of Renyi entanglement entropy for locally excited states in two dimensional large central charge CFTs. It generically shows a logarithmical growth and we compute the coefficient of $\log t$ term. Our analysis covers the entire parameter regions with respect to the replica number $n$ and the conformal dimension $h_O$ of the primary operator which creates the excitation. We numerically analyse relevant vacuum conformal blocks by using Zamolodchikov's recursion relation. We find that the behavior of the conformal blocks in two dimensional CFTs with a central charge $c$…
We investigate exactly solvable two-dimensional conformal field theories that exist at generic values of the central charge, and that interpolate between A-series or D-series minimal models. When the central charge becomes rational, correlation functions of these CFTs may tend to correlation functions of minimal models, or diverge, or have finite limits which can be logarithmic. These results are based on analytic relations between four-point structure constants and residues of conformal blocks.
This paper is part of an effort to gain further understanding of 2D Logarithmic Conformal Field Theories (LCFTs) by exploring their lattice regularizations. While all work so far has dealt with the Virasoro algebra (or the product of left and right Virasoro), the best known (although maybe not the most relevant physically) LCFTs in the continuum are characterized by a W-algebra symmetry, whose presence is powerful, but difficult to understand physically. We explore here the origin of this symmetry in the underlying lattice models. We consider U_q sl(2) XXZ spin chains for q a root of unity, an…
We study complex CFTs describing fixed points of the two-dimensional $Q$-state Potts model with $Q>4$. Their existence is closely related to the weak first-order phase transition and walking RG behavior present in the real Potts model at $Q>4$. The Potts model, apart from its own significance, serves as an ideal playground for testing this very general relation. Cluster formulation provides nonperturbative definition for a continuous range of parameter $Q$, while Coulomb gas description and connection to minimal models provide some conformal data of the complex CFTs. We use one and two-loop co…
We study two dimensional conformal field theories in the semiclassical limit. In this limit, the four-point function is dominated by intermediate primaries of particular weights along with their descendants, and the crossing equations simplify drastically. For a four-point function receiving sufficiently small contributions from the light primaries, the structure constants involving heavy primaries follow a universal formula. Applying our results to the four-point function of the $\mathbb Z_2$ twist field in the symmetric product orbifold, we produce the Hellerman bound and the logarithmically…
We will describe how logarithmic singularities arise as limits of Coulomb Gas integrals. Our approach will combine analytic properties of the time-like Liouville structure constants, together with the recursive formula of the Virasoro conformal blocks. Although the Coulomb Gas formalism forces a diagonal coupling between the chiral and antichiral sectors of the Conformal Field Theory (CFT), we present new results for the multi-screening integrals which are potentially interesting for applications to critical statistical systems described by Logarithmic CFTs. In particular our findings extend a…
Dynamical Phases of Higher Dimensional Floquet CFTs
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur（坎普尔印度理工学院）；University of Kentucky（肯塔基大学）；Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics（萨哈核物理研究所）；Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science（印度科学培养协会）
We show that there is a natural action of SL(2,Z) on the two-point functions of the energy momentum tensor and of higher-spin conserved currents in three-dimensional CFTs. The dynamics behind the S-operation of SL(2,Z) is that of an irrelevant current-current deformation and we point out its similarity to the dynamics of a wide class of three-dimensional CFTs. The holographic interpretation of our results raises the possibility that many three-dimensional CFTs have duals on AdS4 with SL(2,Z) duality properties at the linearized level.
We set up a strategy for studying large families of logarithmic conformal field theories by using the enlarged symmetries and non--semi-simple associative algebras appearing in their lattice regularizations (as discussed in a companion paper). Here we work out in detail two examples of theories derived as the continuum limit of XXZ spin-1/2 chains, which are related to spin chains with supersymmetry algebras gl($n|n$) and gl($n+1|n$), respectively, with open (or free) boundary conditions in all cases. These theories can also be viewed as vertex models, or as loop models. Their continuum limits…
We note that Witten's proposed duality between extremal c=24k CFTs and three-dimensional anti-de Sitter gravity may possibly be extended to central charges that are multiples of 8, for which extremal self-dual CFTs are known to exist up to c=40. All CFTs of this type with central charge 24 or higher, provided that they exist, have the required mass gap and may serve as candidate duals to three-dimensional gravity at the corresponding values of the cosmological constant. Here, we compute the genus one partition function of these theories up to c=88, we give exact and approximate formulas for th…
Mack has conjectured that all conformal field theories are equivalent to string theories. We explore the example of the two-dimensional minimal model CFTs and confirm that the Mellin transformed amplitudes have the desired properties of string theory in three-dimensional anti-de Sitter spacetime.
We present a model-independent study of boundary states in the Cardy case that covers all conformal field theories for which the representation category of the chiral algebra is a - not necessarily semisimple - modular tensor category. This class, which we call finite CFTs, includes all rational theories, but goes much beyond these, and in particular comprises many logarithmic conformal field theories. We show that the following two postulates for a Cardy case are compatible beyond rational CFT and lead to a universal description of boundary states that realizes a standard mathematical setup: …
We discuss walking behavior in gauge theories and weak first-order phase transitions in statistical physics. Despite appearing in very different systems (QCD below the conformal window, the Potts model, deconfined criticality) these two phenomena both imply approximate scale invariance in a range of energies and have the same RG interpretation: a flow passing between pairs of fixed point at complex coupling. We discuss what distinguishes a real theory from a complex theory and call these fixed points complex CFTs. By using conformal perturbation theory we show how observables of the walking th…
This paper investigates d-dimensional CFTs in the presence of a codimension-one boundary and CFTs defined on real projective space RP^d. Our analysis expands on the alpha space method recently proposed for one-dimensional CFTs in arXiv:1702.08471. In this work we establish integral representations for scalar two-point functions in boundary and crosscap CFTs using plane-wave-normalizable eigenfunctions of different conformal Casimir operators. CFT consistency conditions imply integral equations for the spectral densities appearing in these decompositions, and we study the relevant integral kern…
We study correlation functions of a conserved spin-1 current $J_μ$ in three dimensional Conformal Field Theories (CFTs). We investigate the constraints imposed by permutation symmetry and current conservation on the form of three point functions $\langle J_μJ_ν\mathcal O_{Δ,\ell}\rangle $ and the four point function $\langle J_μJ_νJ_ρJ_σ\rangle $ and identify the minimal set of independent crossing symmetry conditions. We obtain a recurrence relation for conformal blocks for generic spin-1 operators in three dimensions. In the process, we improve several technical points, facilitating the use …
The behavior of holographic CFTs is constrained by the existence of a bulk dual geometry. For example, in (2+1)-dimensional holographic CFTs living on a static spacetime with compact spatial slices, the vacuum energy must be nonpositive, certain averaged energy densities must be nonpositive, and the spectrum of scalar operators is bounded from below by the Ricci scalar of the CFT geometry. Are these results special to holographic CFTs? Here we show that for perturbations about appropriate backgrounds, they are in fact universal to all CFTs, as they follow from the universal behavior of two- an…
Logarithmic conformal field theories are based on vertex algebras with non-semisimple representation categories. While examples of such theories have been known for more than 25 years, some crucial aspects of local logarithmic CFTs have been understood only recently, with the help of a description of conformal blocks by modular functors. We present some of these results, both about bulk fields and about boundary fields and boundary states. We also describe some recent progress towards a derived modular functor. This is a summary of work with Terry Gannon, Simon Lentner, Svea Mierach, Gregor Sc…
We study entanglement entropy of excited states in two dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). Especially we consider excited states obtained by acting primary operators on a vacuum. We show that under its time evolution, entanglement entropy increases by a finite constant when the causality condition is satisfied. Moreover, in rational CFTs, we prove that this increased amount of (both Renyi and von-Neumann) entanglement entropy always coincides with the log of quantum dimension of the primary operator.
The $J\bar T$ deformation, built from the components of the stress tensor and of a $U(1)$ current, is a universal irrelevant deformation of two-dimensional CFTs that preserves the left-moving conformal symmetry, while breaking locality on the right-moving side. Operators in the $J\bar T$-deformed CFT are naturally labeled by the left-moving position and right-moving momentum and transform in representations of the one-dimensional extended conformal group. We derive an all-orders formula for the spectrum of conformal dimensions and charges of the deformed CFT, which we cross-check at leading or…
Infinite-dimensional conformal symmetry in two dimensions leads to integrability of 2d conformal field theories through an infinite tower of local conserved qKdV charges in involution. We discuss the role this integrable structure plays in equilibration of 2d CFTs. We show that in the thermodynamic limit large central charge 2d CFTs satisfy generalized eigenstate thermalization, with the values of qKdV charges forming a complete set of thermodynamically relevant quantities, which unambiguously determine expectation values of all local observables from the vacuum family. Our work settles the qu…
It has been recently shown that the deformation of an arbitrary two-dimensional conformal field theory by the composite irrelevant operator $T \bar T$, built from the components of the stress tensor, is solvable; in particular, the finite-size spectrum of the deformed theory can be obtained from that of the original CFT through a universal formula. We study a similarly universal, Lorentz-breaking deformation of two-dimensional CFTs that posess a conserved $U(1)$ current, $J$. The deformation takes the schematic form $J \bar T$ and is interesting because it preserves an $SL(2,\mathbb{R}) \times…
We investigate the conformal bootstrap approach to $O(N)$ symmetric CFTs in five dimension with particular emphasis on the lower bound on the current central charge. The bound has a local minimum for all $N>1$, and in the large $N$ limit we propose that the minimum is saturated by the critical $O(N)$ vector model at the UV fixed point, the existence of which has been recently argued by Fei, Giombi, and Klebanov. The location of the minimum is generically different from the minimum of the lower bound of the energy-momentum tensor central charge when it exists for smaller $N$. To better understa…
We use the AdS/CFT correspondence to study models of entanglement and correlations between two $d=4$ CFTs in thermofield double states at finite chemical potential. Our bulk spacetimes are planar Reissner-Nordström AdS black holes. We compute both thermo-mutual information and the two-point correlators of large-dimension scalar operators, focussing on the small-temperature behavior -- an infrared limit with behavior similar to that seen at large times. The interesting feature of this model is of course that the entropy density remains finite as $T \rightarrow 0$ while the bulk geometry develop…
We study the O(N) vector model and the U(N) Gross-Neveu model with fixed total fermion number, in three dimensions. Using non-trivial polylogarithmic identities, we calculate the large-N renormalized free-energy density of these models, at their conformal points in a ``slab'' geometry with one finite dimension of length L. We comment on the possible implications of our results.
There is no known obstructions, but we have not been aware of any concrete examples, either. The Wess-Zumino consistency condition for the conformal anomaly says that $a$ cannot change but does not say anything about $c$. In supersymmetric models, both $a$ and $c$ are determined from the triangle t'Hooft anomalies and the unitarity demands that both must be fixed, so the unitary supersymmetric conformal field theories do not admit such a possibility. Given this field theory situation, we construct an effective AdS/CFT model without supersymmetry in which $c$ changes under exactly marginal defo…
We prove the instability of $d$-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) having in the operator-product expansion of two fundamental fields a primary operator of scaling dimension $h=d/2+i r$, with non-vanishing $ r\in\mathbb{R}$. From an AdS/CFT point of view, this corresponds to a well-known tachyonic instability, associated to a violation of the Breitenlohner-Freedman bound in AdS${}_{d+1}$; we derive it here directly for generic $d$-dimensional CFTs that can be obtained as limits of multiscalar quantum field theories, by applying the harmonic analysis for the Euclidean conformal group t…
The role played by the Euler anomaly in the dictionary relating sphere partition functions of four dimensional theories of class $\mathcal{S}$ and two dimensional nonrational CFTs is clarified. On the two dimensional side, this involves a careful treatment of scale factors in Liouville/Toda correlators. Using ideas from tinkertoy constructions for Gaiotto duality, a framework is proposed for evaluating these scale factors. The representation theory of Weyl groups plays a critical role in this framework.
We study properties of heavy-light-heavy three-point functions in two-dimensional CFTs by using the modular invariance of two-point functions on a torus. We show that our result is non-trivially consistent with the condition of ETH (Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis). We also study the open-closed duality of cylinder amplitudes and derive behaviors of disk one-point functions.
Recent programs on conformal bootstrap suggest an empirical relationship between the existence of non-trivial conformal field theories and non-trivial features such as a kink in the unitarity bound of conformal dimensions in the conformal bootstrap equations. We report the existene of non-trivial kinks in the unitarity bound of scalar operators in the adjoint representation of the $SU(N)$ symmetric conformal field theories. They have interesting properties (1) the kinks exist in $d<6$ dimensions (2) the location of kinks are when the unitarity bound hits the space-time dimension $d$ (3) there …
We study the anomalous dimension of the cusped Maldacena-Wilson line in planar $\mathcal{N} = 4$ Yang-Mills theory with scalar insertions using the Quantum Spectral Curve (QSC) method. In the straight line limit we interpret the excited states of the QSC as insertions of scalar operators coupled to the line. Such insertions were recently intensively studied in the context of the one-dimensional defect CFT. We compute a five-loop perturbative result analytically at weak coupling and the first four orders in the $1/\sqrtλ$ expansion at strong coupling, confirming all previous analytic results. I…
Relaxation Process During Complex Time Evolution In Two-Dimensional Integrable and Chaotic CFTs
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学）；RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS)（理研交叉理论与数学科学研究所(iTHEMS)）；Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics（亚太理论物理中心）；University of Ljubljana（卢布尔雅那大学）；Georgia Institute of Technology（佐治亚理工学院）
We compute genus two partition functions in two dimensional conformal field theories at large central charge, focusing on surfaces that give the third Renyi entropy of two intervals. We compute this for generalized free theories and for symmetric orbifolds, and compare it to the result in pure gravity. We find a new phase transition if the theory contains a light operator of dimension $Δ\leq0.19$. This means in particular that unlike the second Renyi entropy, the third one is no longer universal.
Duality and four-dimensional black holes: gravitational waves, algebraically special solutions, pole skipping, and the spectral duality relation in holographic thermal CFTs
We explore the structures of light cone and Regge limit singularities of $n$-point Virasoro conformal blocks in $c>1$ two-dimensional conformal field theories with no chiral primaries, using fusion matrix approach. These CFTs include not only holographic CFTs dual to classical gravity, but also their full quantum corrections, since this approach allows us to explore full $1/c$ corrections. As the important applications, we study time dependence of Renyi entropy after a local quench and out-of-time ordered correlator (OTOC) at late time. We first show that, the $n$-th ($n>2$) Renyi entropy afte…
In this note we study two-dimensional CFTs at large global charge. Since the large-charge sector decouples from the dynamics, it does not control the dynamics and an EFT construction that works in higher-dimensional theories fails. It is however possible to use large charge in a double-scaling limit when another controlling parameter is present. We find some general features of the spectrum of models that admit an NLSM description in a WKB approximation and use the large-charge sector of the solvable $SU(2)_k$ WZW model to argue the regimes of applicability of both the large-Q expansion and th…
We construct solutions to the Einstein equations for asymptotically locally Anti-de Sitter spacetimes with four, five, and six dimensional Reissner-Nordström boundary metrics. These spacetimes are gravitational duals to "jammed" CFTs on those backgrounds at infinite N and strong coupling. For these spacetimes, we calculate the boundary stress tensor as well as compute entanglement entropies for ball shaped regions as functions of the boundary black hole temperature $T_{BH}$. From this, we see how the CFT prevents heat flow from the black hole to the vacuum at spatial infinity. We also compute …
We study two novel approaches to efficiently encoding universal constraints imposed by conformal symmetry, and describe applications to quantum chaos in higher dimensional CFTs. The first approach consists of a reformulation of the shadow operator formalism and kinematic space techniques. We observe that the shadow operator associated with the stress tensor (or other conserved currents) can be written as the descendant of a field ${\cal E}$ with negative dimension. Computations of stress tensor contributions to conformal blocks can be systematically organized in terms of the "soft mode" ${\cal…
Thermal states of quantum systems with many degrees of freedom are subject to a bound on the rate of onset of chaos, including a bound on the Lyapunov exponent, $λ_L\leq 2π/β$. We harness this bound to constrain the space of putative holographic CFTs and their would-be dual theories of AdS gravity. First, by studying out-of-time-order four-point functions, we discuss how $λ_L=2π/β$ in ordinary two-dimensional holographic CFTs is related to properties of the OPE at strong coupling. We then rule out the existence of unitary, sparse two-dimensional CFTs with large central charge and a set of high…
