A search for AdS5 X S2 IIB supergravity solutions dual to N = 2 SCFTs

We present a systematic search for Type IIB supergravity solutions whose spacetimes include AdS5 and S2 factors, which would be candidate duals to N = 2 four-dimensional Superconformal field theories. The candidate solutions encode the SU(2) R-symmetry geometrically on the S2 and an additional Killing vector generates the U(1) R-symmetry. By analysing the Killing spinor equations we show that no such solutions exist. This suggests that, if Type IIB backgrounds dual to N = 2 SCFTs exist, the SU(2) R-symmetry is realised non-geometrically. Finally, we also show that, in the context of both N = 1 and N = 2 Type IIB backgrounds with an AdS5 factor, the only candidate U(1) R-symmetry Killing vector directions are the ones that appear for generic values of the Killing spinors; no further Killing vectors exist for special values of the Killing spinors.Comment: 22 pages,typos corrected, references added, published versio

The effectiveness of relativistic invariance in AdS(3)

We use relativistic invariance to investigate two aspects of integrable AdS3 string theory. Firstly, we write down the all-loop TBA equations for the massless sector of the theory with R-R flux, using the recently discovered hidden relativistic symmetry. Secondly, for the low-energy relativistic limit of the theory with NS-NS flux we write down the S matrix, dressing factors and TBA. We find that the integrable system coincides with a restriction to AdS3 of the relativistic q-deformed AdS5 theory. We also comment on the relativistic limit of the small-k NS-NS theory

Quantum Spectral Curve for AdS(3)/CFT2: a proposal

We conjecture the Quantum Spectral Curve equations for string theory on AdS3 × S3 × T4 with RR charge and its CFT2 dual. We show that in the large-length regime, under additional mild assumptions, the QSC reproduces the Asymptotic Bethe Ansatz equations for the massive sector of the theory, including the exact dressing phases found in the literature. The structure of the QSC shares many similarities with the previously known AdS5 and AdS4 cases, but contains a critical new feature — the branch cuts are no longer quadratic. Nevertheless, we show that much of the QSC analysis can be suitably generalised producing a self-consistent system of equations. While further tests are necessary, particularly outside the massive sector, the simplicity and self-consistency of our construction suggests the completeness of the QSC

Non-BPS States and Heterotic - Type I' Duality

There are two families of non-BPS bi-spinors in the perturbative spectrum of the nine dimensional heterotic string charged under the gauge group $SO(16)\times SO(16)$. The relation between these perturbative non-BPS states and certain non-perturbative non-BPS D-brane states of the dual type I$^\prime$ theory is exhibited. The relevant branes include a \Zop_2 charged non-BPS D-string, and a bound state of such a D-string with a fundamental string. The domains of stability of these states as well as their decay products in both theories are determined and shown to agree with the duality map.Comment: 19 pages, LaTe

Closed Strings and Moduli in AdS3/CFT2

String theory on AdS3×S3×T4 has 20 moduli. We investigate how the perturbative closed string spectrum changes as we move around this moduli space in both the RR and NSNS flux backgrounds. We find that, at weak string coupling, only four of the moduli affect the energies. In the RR background the only effect of these moduli is to change the radius of curvature of the background. On the other hand, in the NSNS background, the moduli introduce worldsheet interactions which enable the use of integrability methods to solve the spectral problem. Our results show that the worldsheet theory is integrable across the 20 dimensional moduli space

The AdS 3 × S 3 × S 3 × S 1 worldsheet S matrix

We investigate type IIB strings on AdS 3 × S 3 × S 3 × S 1 with mixed Ramond–Ramond and Neveu–Schwarz–Neveu–Schwarz flux. By suitably gauge-fixing the closed string Green–Schwarz action of this theory, we derive the off-shell symmetry algebra and its representations. We use these to determine the non-perturbative worldsheet S matrix of fundamental excitations in the theory. The analysis involves both massive and massless modes in complete generality. The S matrix we find involves a number of phase factors, which in turn satisfy crossing equations that we also determine. We comment on the nature of the heaviest modes of the theory, but leave their identification either as composites or bound-states to a future investigation

The low-energy limit of AdS(3)/CFT2 and its TBA

We investigate low-energy string excitations in AdS3 × S3 × T4. When the worldsheet is decompactified, the theory has gapless modes whose spectrum at low energies is determined by massless relativistic integrable S matrices of the type introduced by Al. B. Zamolodchikov. The S matrices are non-trivial only for excitations with identical worldsheet chirality, indicating that the low-energy theory is a CFT2. We construct a Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) for these excitations and show how the massless modes’ wrapping effects may be incorporated into the AdS3 spectral problem. Using the TBA and its associated Y-system, we determine the central charge of the low-energy CFT2 to be c = 6 from calculating the vacuum energy for antiperiodic fermions — with the vacuum energy being zero for periodic fermions in agreement with a supersymmetric theory — and find the energies of some excited states

Protected string spectrum in AdS(3)/CFT2 from worldsheet integrability

We derive the protected closed-string spectra of AdS3/CFT2 dual pairs with 16 supercharges at arbitrary values of the string tension and of the three-form fluxes. These follow immediately from the all-loop Bethe equations for the spectra of the integrable worldsheet theories. Further, representing the underlying integrable systems as spin chains, we find that their dynamics involves length-changing interactions and that protected states correspond to gapless excitations above the Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase vacuum. In the case of AdS3 × S3 × T4 the degeneracies of such operators precisely match those of the dual CFT2 and the supergravity spectrum. On the other hand, we find that for AdS3 × S3 × S3 × S1 there are fewer protected states than previous supergravity calculations had suggested. In particular, protected states have the same su(2) charge with respect to the two three-spheres