Reduced sigma-model on AdS_5 x S^5: one-loop scattering amplitudes

We compute one-loop S-matrix in the reduced sigma-model which describes AdS_5 x S^5 string theory in the near-flat-space limit. The result agrees with the corresponding limit of the S-matrix in the full sigma-model, which demonstrates the consistency of the reduction at the quantum level.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure; v2: reference added; v3: misprint in (3.6) corrected; v4: typo in (3.4) corrected; v5: new form of the actio

Quantum corrections to the string Bethe ansatz

One-loop corrections to the energy of semiclassical rotating strings contain both analytic and non-analytic terms in the 't Hooft coupling. Analytic contributions agree with the prediction from the string Bethe ansatz based on the classical S-matrix, but in order to include non-analytic contributions quantum corrections are required. We find a general expression for the first quantum correction to the string Bethe ansatz.Comment: 12 pages. Latex. v2: Misprints corrected and references adde

On highest-energy state in the su(1|1) sector of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory

We consider the highest-energy state in the su(1|1) sector of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory containing operators of the form tr(Z^{L-M} \psi^M) where Z is a complex scalar and \psi is a component of gaugino. We show that this state corresponds to the operator tr(\psi^L) and can be viewed as an analogue of the antiferromagnetic state in the su(2) sector. We find perturbative expansions of the energy of this state in both weak and strong 't Hooft coupling regimes using asymptotic gauge theory Bethe ansatz equations. We also discuss a possible analog of this state in the conjectured string Bethe ansatz equations.Comment: 23 pages, Late

On the Scattering Phase for AdS_5 x S^5 Strings

We propose a phase factor of the worldsheet S-matrix for strings on AdS_5 x S^5 apparently solving Janik's crossing relation.Comment: 9 pages, v2: revised conclusions about agreement with perturbative string theory; minor changes, v3: resolution to above problems indicated, to appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.

Two-loop AdS_5 x S^5 superstring: testing asymptotic Bethe ansatz and finite size corrections

We continue the investigation of two-loop string corrections to the energy of a folded string with a spin S in AdS_5 and an angular momentum J in S^5, in the scaling limit of large J and S with ell=pi J/(lambda^(1/2) ln S)=fixed. We compute the generalized scaling function at two-loop order f_2(ell) both for small and large values of ell matching the predictions based on the asymptotic Bethe ansatz. In particular, in the small ell expansion, we derive an exact integral form for the ell-dependent coefficient of the Catalan's constant term in f_2(ell). Also, by resumming a certain subclass of multi-loop Feynman diagrams we obtain an exact expression for the leading (ln ell) part of f(lambda^(1/2), ell) which is valid to any order in the alpha'~1/lambda^(1/2) expansion. At large ell the string energy has a BMN-like expansion and the first few leading coefficients are expected to be the same at weak and at strong coupling. We provide a new example of this non-renormalization for the term which is generated at two loops in string theory and at one-loop in gauge theory (sub-sub-leading in 1/J). We also derive a simple algebraic formula for the term of maximal transcendentality in f_2(ell) expanded at large ell. In the second part of the paper we initiate the study of 2-loop finite size corrections to the string energy by formally compactifying the spatial world-sheet direction in the string action expanded near long fast-spinning string. We observe that the leading finite-size corrections are of "Casimir" type coming from terms containing at least one massless propagator. We consider in detail the one-loop order (reproducing the leading Landau-Lifshitz model prediction) and then focus on the two-loop contributions to the (1/ln S) term (for J=0). We find that in a certain regularization scheme used to discard power divergences the two-loop coefficient of the (1/ln S) term appears to vanish.Comment: 50 pages, 4 figures v2: typos corrected, references adde

Quantum Wrapped Giant Magnon

Understanding the finite-size corrections to the fundamental excitations of a theory is the first step towards completely solving for the spectrum in finite volume. We compute the leading exponential correction to the quantum energy of the fundamental excitation of the light-cone gauged string in AdS(5) x S(5), which is the giant magnon solution. We present two independent ways to obtain this correction: the first approach makes use of the algebraic curve description of the giant magnon. The second relies on the purely field-theoretical Luscher formulas, which depend on the world-sheet S-matrix. We demonstrate the agreement to all orders in g/Delta of these approaches, which in particular presents a further test of the S-matrix. We comment on generalizations of this method of computation to other string configurations.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Uniform Light-Cone Gauge for Strings in AdS_5 x S^5: Solving su(1|1) Sector

We introduce a uniform light-cone gauge for strings propagating in AdS space-time. We use the gauge to analyze strings from the su(1|1) sector, and show that the reduced model is described by a quadratic action for two complex fermions. Thus, the uniform light-cone gauge allows us to solve the model exactly. We analyze the near BMN spectrum of states from the su(1|1) sector and show that it correctly reproduces the 1/J corrections. We also compute the spectrum in the strong coupling limit, and derive the famous \lambda^{1/4} asymptotics. We then show that the same string spectrum can be also derived by solving Bethe ansatz type equations, and discuss their relation to the quantum string Bethe ansatz for the su(1|1) sector.Comment: 26 pages, Latex, v2: comparison to the strong coupling expansion of the quantum string Bethe ansatz is added, discussion of the winding sector is extended, references adde

Infinite spin limit of semiclassical string states

Motivated by recent works of Hofman and Maldacena and Dorey we consider a special infinite spin limit of semiclassical spinning string states in AdS5 x S5. We discuss examples of known folded and circular 2-spin string solutions and demonstrate explicitly that the 1-loop superstring correction to the classical expression for the energy vanishes in the limit when one of the spins is much larger that the other. We also give a general discussion of this limit at the level of integral equations describing finite gap solutions of the string sigma model and argue that the corresponding asymptotic form of the string and gauge Bethe equations is the same.Comment: 38 pages, 3 figures; v2: comments on derivation of bound states of magnons from discrete Bethe equations added in section 4 and appendix C, references added, Imperial-TP-AT-6-4, HUTP-06/A002

5d superconformal field theories and graphs

We propose graphs, the Combined Fiber Diagrams (CFD), to characterize all 5d superconformal field theories (SCFTs) that arise as S1-reductions of 6d SCFTs. Transitions between CFDs encode mass deformations that trigger RG-flows between SCFTs. They provide a combinatorial classification of all such 5d SCFTs and encode physical information about the strongly coupled theories, like the superconformal flavor symmetry and BPS states. We consistently reproduce known results, but more importantly predict new theories and strong coupling effects in 5d SCFTs

On String S-matrix, Bound States and TBA

The study of finite J effects for the light-cone AdS superstring by means of the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz requires an understanding of a companion 2d theory which we call the mirror model. It is obtained from the original string model by the double Wick rotation. The S-matrices describing the scattering of physical excitations in the string and mirror models are related to each other by an analytic continuation. We show that the unitarity requirement for the mirror S-matrix fixes the S-matrices of both theories essentially uniquely. The resulting string S-matrix S(z_1,z_2) satisfies the generalized unitarity condition and, up to a scalar factor, is a meromorphic function on the elliptic curve associated to each variable z. The double Wick rotation is then accomplished by shifting the variables z by quarter of the imaginary period of the torus. We discuss the apparent bound states of the string and mirror models, and show that depending on a choice of the physical region there are one, two or 2^{M-1} solutions of the M-particle bound state equations sharing the same conserved charges. For very large but finite values of J, most of these solutions, however, exhibit various signs of pathological behavior. In particular, they might receive a finite J correction to their energy which is complex, or the energy correction might exceed corrections arising due to finite J modifications of the Bethe equations thus making the asymptotic Bethe ansatz inapplicable.Comment: 77 pages, 6 figures, v2: the statement about the periodicity condition for mirror fermions corrected; typos corrected; references added, v3: misprints correcte