Planar quark scattering at strong coupling and universality

We discuss scattering of fundamental matter in the planar and strong coupling limit via the AdS/CFT correspondence, generalizing the recently proposed calculation for adjoint matter due to Alday and Maldacena [arXiv:0705.0303]. Color decomposition of quark amplitudes is a key property allowing to repeat the procedure in the case of fundamental matter and to derive the relation of these strong coupling amplitudes to minimal area problems. We present the results for two different D3-D7 systems, one is only conformal in the planar limit and the other is exactly conformal. Our results suggest a universal behavior of scattering amplitudes at strong coupling and planar limit (both for gluons and quarks).Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, JHEP format. v2: added references and minor corrections. v3: following arXiv:0710.0393 we change our claim about a minimal surface solution without spike singularities. We make the appropriate corrections where necessar

A Matrix Model for AdS2

A matrix quantum mechanics with potential $V={q^2 \over r^2}$ and an SL(2,R) conformal symmetry is conjectured to be dual to two-dimensional type 0A string theory on AdS$_2$ with $q$ units of RR flux.Comment: 12 page

M-Theory Giant Gravitons with C field

We find giant graviton configurations of an M5-brane probe in the D=11 supergravity background generated by a stack of non-threshold (M2,M5) bound states. The M5-brane probe shares three directions with the background and wraps a two-sphere transverse to the bound states. For a particular value of the worldvolume gauge field of the PST formalism, there exist solutions of the equations of motion for which the M5-brane probe behaves as a wave propagating in the (M2,M5) background. We have checked that the probe breaks the supersymmetry of the background exactly as a massless particle moving along the trajectory of its center of mass.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX; v2: references adde

Non-commutative holography and scattering amplitudes in a large magnetic background

We study planar gluon scattering amplitudes and Wilson loops in non-commutative gauge theory. Our main results are: 1. We find the map between observables in non-commutative gauge theory and their holographic dual. In that map, the region near the boundary of the gravitational dual describes the physics in terms of T-dual variables. 2. We show that in the presence of a large magnetic background and a UV regulator, a planar gluon scattering amplitude reduces to a complex polygon Wilson loop expectation value, dressed by a tractable polarization dependent factor.Comment: 26 pages. v2: corrected section 4, reference adde

Squashed Giants: Bound States of Giant Gravitons

We consider giant gravitons in the maximally supersymmetric type IIB plane-wave, in the presence of a constant NSNS B-field background. We show that in response to the background B-field the giant graviton would take the shape of a deformed three-sphere, the size and shape of which depend on the B-field, and that the giant becomes classically unstable once the B-field is larger than a critical value B_{cr}. In particular, for the B-field which is (anti-)self-dual under the SO(4) isometry of the original giant S^3, the closed string metric is that of a round S^3, while the open string metric is a squashed three-sphere. The squashed giant can be interpreted as a bound state of a spherical three-brane and circular D-strings. We work out the spectrum of geometric fluctuations of the squashed giant and study its stability. We also comment on the gauge theory which lives on the brane (which is generically a noncommutative theory) and a possible dual gauge theory description of the deformed giant.Comment: Latex file, 32 pages, 6 .eps figures; v3: typos correcte

The Conformal Limit of the 0A Matrix Model and String Theory on AdS(2)

We analyze the conformal limit of the matrix model describing flux backgrounds of two dimensional type 0A string theory. This limit is believed to be dual to an AdS(2) background of type 0A string theory. We show that the spectrum of this limit is identical to that of a free fermion on AdS(2), suggesting that there are no closed string excitations in this background.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur

A Holographic View on Matrix Model of Black Hole

We investigate a deformed matrix model proposed by Kazakov et.al. in relation to Witten's two-dimensional black hole. The existing conjectures assert the equivalence of the two by mapping each to a deformed c=1 theory called the sine-Liouville theory. We point out that the matrix theory in question may be naturally interpreted as a gauged quantum mechanics deformed by insertion of an exponentiated Wilson loop operator, which gives us more direct and holographic map between the two sides. The matrix model in the usual scaling limit must correspond to the bosonic SL(2,R)/U(1) theory in genus expansion but exact in \alpha'. We successfully test this by computing the Wilson loop expectation value and comparing it against the bulk computation. For the latter, we employ the \alpha'-exact geometry proposed by Dijkgraaf, Verlinde, and Verlinde, which was further advocated by Tseytlin. We close with comments on open problems.Comment: LaTeX, 19 page

Noncritical String Correlators, Finite-N Matrix Models and the Vortex Condensate

We carry out a systematic study of correlation functions of momentum modes in the Euclidean c=1 string, as a function of the radius and to all orders in perturbation theory. We obtain simple explicit expressions for several classes of correlators in terms of special functions. The Normal Matrix Model is found to be a powerful calculational tool that computes c=1 string correlators even at finite N. This enables us to obtain a simple combinatoric formula for the 2n-point function of unit momentum modes, which after T-duality determines the vortex condensate. We comment on possible applications of our results to T-duality at c=1 and to the 2d black hole/vortex condensate problem.Comment: 38 pages, LaTe

Thermodynamics of R-charged Black Holes in AdS(5) From Effective Strings

It is well known that the thermodynamics of certain near-extremal black holes in asymptotically flat space can be lifted to an effective string description created from the intersection of D-branes. In this paper we present evidence that the semiclassical thermodynamics of near-extremal R-charged black holes in AdS(5)xS(5) is described in a similar manner by effective strings created from the intersection of giant gravitons on the S(5). We also present a free fermion description of the supersymmetric limit of the one-charge black hole, and we give a crude catalog of the microstates of the two and three-charge black holes in terms of operators in the dual conformal field theory.Comment: v2: references and typos corrected, 24 pages, latex2

Reverse Monte Carlo modeling of amorphous silicon

An implementation of the Reverse Monte Carlo algorithm is presented for the study of amorphous tetrahedral semiconductors. By taking into account a number of constraints that describe the tetrahedral bonding geometry along with the radial distribution function, we construct a model of amorphous silicon using the reverse monte carlo technique. Starting from a completely random configuration, we generate a model of amorphous silicon containing 500 atoms closely reproducing the experimental static structure factor and bond angle distribution and in improved agreement with electronic properties. Comparison is made to existing Reverse Monte Carlo models, and the importance of suitable constraints beside experimental data is stressed.Comment: 6 pages, 4 PostScript figure