Two Polyakov Loop Correlators from D5-branes at Finite Temperature

We study two Polyakov loop correlators in large $N$ limit of ${\cal{N}}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature using the AdS-Schwarzschild black hole. In the case that one of the two loops is of the anti-symmetric representation, we use D5-branes to evaluate them. The phase structure of these correlators is also examined. A previous result, derived in hep-th/9803135 and hep-th/9803137, is realized as a limiting case.}Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Classical c=1 Tachyon Scattering and 1/2-BPS Correlators

We study the correlator of chiral primary operators in \Ncal=4 super Yang-Mills theory in large $N$ limit. Through the free fermion picture, we map the gauge group rank and R-charges in SYM to the Fermi level and tachyon momenta, respectively, in the c=1 matrix model. By doing so, it is seen that half-BPS correlators are reproduced by tree-level tachyon scattering amplitudes.Comment: 7 pages, v2: typos corrected and a reference added, v3: PTP versio

D-branes in the Lorentzian Melvin Geometry

We consider string theory on the Lorentzian Melvin geometry, which is obtained by analytically continuing the two-parameter Euclidean Melvin background. Because this model provides a solvable conformal field theory that describes time-dependent twisted string dynamics, we study the string one-loop partition function and the D-brane spectrum. We found that both the wrapping D2-brane and the codimension-one D-string emit winding strings, and this behavior can be traced to the modified open string Hamiltonian on these probe D-branes.Comment: 13 pages, v2,v3,v4: changes and references added, v5: final version in PT

Kerr/CFT correspondence and five-dimensional BMPV black holes

We apply a recently proposed Kerr/CFT correspondence to extremal supersymmetric five-dimensional charged spinning black holes, constructed by Breckenridge, Myers, Peet and Vafa. By computing the central charge of the dual CFT and Frolov-Thorne temperature, Cardy's formula succeeds in reproducing Bekenstein-Hawking area law.Comment: 10 pages, typos corrected, references added, explanation improved and a missing factor 2 found; v3: a reference added, minor change

Uniformization, Calogero-Moser/Heun duality and Sutherland/bubbling pants

Inspired by the work of Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa (AGT), we saw the revival of Poincar{\'{e}}'s uniformization problem and Fuchsian equations obtained thereof. Three distinguished aspects are possessed by Fuchsian equations. First, they are available via imposing a classical Liouville limit on level-two null-vector conditions. Second, they fall into some A_1-type integrable systems. Third, the stress-tensor present there (in terms of the Q-form) manifests itself as a kind of one-dimensional "curve". Thereby, a contact with the recently proposed Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit was soon made on the one hand, whilst the seemingly mysterious derivation of Seiberg-Witten prepotentials from integrable models become resolved on the other hand. Moreover, AGT conjecture can just be regarded as a quantum version of the previous Poincar{\'{e}}'s approach. Equipped with these observations, we examined relations between spheric and toric (classical) conformal blocks via Calogero-Moser/Heun duality. Besides, as Sutherland model is also obtainable from Calogero-Moser by pinching tori at one point, we tried to understand its eigenstates from the viewpoint of toric diagrams with possibly many surface operators (toric branes) inserted. A picture called "bubbling pants" then emerged and reproduced well-known results of the non-critical self-dual c=1 string theory under a "blown-down" limit.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures; v2: corrections and references added; v3: Section 2.4.1 newly added thanks to JHEP referee advice. That classical four-point spheric conformal blocks reproducing known SW prepotentials is demonstrated via more examples, to appear in JHEP; v4: TexStyle changed onl

Correlator of Fundamental and Anti-symmetric Wilson Loops in AdS/CFT Correspondence

We study the two circular Wilson loop correlator in which one is of anti-symmetric representation, while the other is of fundamental representation in 4-dimensional ${\cal N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory. This correlator has a good AdS dual, which is a system of a D5-brane and a fundamental string. We calculated the on-shell action of the string, and clarified the Gross-Ooguri transition in this correlator. Some limiting cases are also examined.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures, v2: typos corrected, v3: final version in JHE