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A. Brandhuber

Publications and source records attributed to A. Brandhuber.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2002

PP-waves from rotating and continuously distributed D3-branes

We study families of PP-wave solutions of type-IIB supergravity that have (light-cone) time dependent metrics and RR five-form fluxes. They arise as Penrose limits of supergravity solutions that correspond to rotating or continuous distributions of D3-branes. In general, the solutions preserve sixteen supersymmetries. On the dual field theory side these backgrounds describe the BMN limit of N=4 SYM when some scalars in the field theory have non-vanishing expectation values. We study the perturbative string spectrum and in several cases we are able to determine it exactly for the bosons as well as for the fermions. We find that there are special states for particular values of the light-cone constant P_+.

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arXiv2002

Current correlators and AdS/CFT away from the conformal point

Using the AdS/CFT correspondence we study vacua of N=4 SYM for which part of the gauge symmetry is broken by expectation values of scalar fields. A specific subclass of such vacua can be analyzed with gauged supergravity and the corresponding domain wall solutions lift to continuous distributions of D3-branes in type IIB string theory. Due to the non-trivial expectation value of the scalars, the SO(6) R-symmetry is spontaneously broken and field theory predicts the existence of Goldstone bosons. We explicitly show that, in the dual supergravity description, these emerge as massless poles in the current two-point functions, while the bulk gauge fields which are dual to the broken currents become massive via the Higgs mechanism. We find agreement with field theory expectations and, hence, provide a non-trivial test of the AdS/CFT correspondence far away from the conformal point.

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arXiv2000

An N=2 gauge theory and its supergravity dual

We study flows on the scalar manifold of N=8 gauged supergravity in five dimensions which are dual to certain mass deformations of N=4 super Yang--Mills theory. In particular, we consider a perturbation of the gauge theory by a mass term for the adjoint hyper-multiplet, giving rise to an N=2 theory. The exact solution of the 5-dim gauged supergravity equations of motion is found and the metric is uplifted to a ten-dimensional background of type-IIB supergravity. Using these geometric data and the AdS/CFT correspondence we analyze the spectra of certain operators as well as Wilson loops on the dual gauge theory side. The physical flows are parametrized by a single non-positive constant and describe part of the Coulomb branch of the N=2 theory at strong coupling. We also propose a general criterion to distinguish between `physical' and `unphysical' curvature singularities. Applying it in many backgrounds arising within the AdS/CFT correspondence we find results that are in complete agreement with field theory expectations.

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arXiv2000

Domain walls of gauged supergravity, M-branes, and algebraic curves

We provide an algebraic classification of all supersymmetric domain wall solutions of maximal gauged supergravity in four and seven dimensions, in the presence of non-trivial scalar fields in the coset SL(8,R)/SO(8) and SL(5,R)/SO(5) respectively. These solutions satisfy first-order equations, which can be obtained using the method of Bogomol'nyi. From an eleven-dimensional point of view they correspond to various continuous distributions of M2- and M5-branes. The Christoffel-Schwarz transformation and the uniformization of the associated algebraic curves are used in order to determine the Schrodinger potential for the scalar and graviton fluctuations on the corresponding backgrounds. In many cases we explicitly solve the Schrodinger problem by employing techniques of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. The analysis is parallel to the construction of domain walls of five-dimensional gauged supergravity, with scalar fields in the coset SL(6,R)/SO(6), using algebraic curves or continuous distributions of D3-branes in ten dimensions. In seven dimensions, in particular, our classification of domain walls is complete for the full scalar sector of gauged supergravity. We also discuss some general aspects of D-dimensional gravity coupled to scalar fields in the coset SL(N,R)/SO(N).

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arXiv2000

Riemann surfaces and Schrodinger potentials of gauged supergravity

Supersymmetric domain-wall solutions of maximal gauged supergravity are classified in 4, 5 and 7 dimensions in the presence of non-trivial scalar fields taking values in the coset SL(N, R)/SO(N) for N=8, 6 and 5 respectively. We use an algebro-geometric method based on the Christoffel-Schwarz transformation, which allows for the characterization of the solutions in terms of Riemann surfaces whose genus depends on the isometry group. The uniformization of the curves can be carried out explicitly for models of low genus and results into trigonometric and elliptic solutions for the scalar fields and the conformal factor of the metric. The Schrodinger potentials for the quantum fluctuations of the graviton and scalar fields are derived on these backgrounds and enjoy all properties of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. Special attention is given to a class of elliptic models whose quantum fluctuations are commonly described by the generalized Lame potential μ(μ+1)P(z) + ν(ν+1)P(z+ω_1)+ κ(κ+1)P(z+ω_2) + λ(λ+1)P(z+ω_1 +ω_2) for the Weierstrass function P(z) of the underlying Riemann surfaces with periods 2ω_1 and 2ω_2, for different half-integer values of the coupling constants μ, ν, κ, λ.

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arXiv1999

Wilson loops from multicentre and rotating branes, mass gaps and phase structure in gauge theories

Within the AdS/CFT correspondence we use multicentre D3-brane metrics to investigate Wilson loops and compute the associated heavy quark-antiquark potentials for the strongly coupled SU(N) super-Yang-Mills gauge theory, when the gauge symmetry is broken by the expectation values of the scalar fields. For the case of a uniform distribution of D3-branes over a disc, we find that there exists a maximum separation beyond which there is no force between the quark and the antiquark, i.e. the screening is complete. We associate this phenomenon with the possible existence of a mass gap in the strongly coupled gauge theory. In the finite-temperature case, when the corresponding supergravity solution is a rotating D3-brane solution, there is a class of potentials interpolating between a Coulombic and a confining behaviour. However, above a certain critical value of the mass parameter, the potentials exhibit a behaviour characteristic of statistical systems undergoing phase transitions. The physical path preserves the concavity property of the potential and minimizes the energy. Using the same rotating-brane solutions, we also compute spatial Wilson loops, associated with the quark-antiquark potential in models of three-dimensional gauge theories at zero temperature, with similar results.

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arXiv1999

Non-standard compactifications with mass gaps and Newton's law

The four-dimensional Minkowski space-time is considered as a three-brane embedded in five dimensions, using solutions of five-dimensional supergravity. These backgrounds have a string theoretical interpretation in terms of D3-brane distributions. By studying linear fluctuations of the graviton we find a zero-mode representing the massless graviton in four-dimensional space-time. The novelty of our models is that the graviton spectrum has a genuine mass gap (independent of the position of the world-brane) above the zero-mode or it is discrete. Hence, an effective four-dimensional theory on a brane that includes the massless graviton mode is well defined. The gravitational force between point particles deviates from the Newton law by Yukawa-type corrections, which we compute explicitly. We show that the parameters of our solutions can be chosen such that these corrections lie within experimental bounds.

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arXiv1998

Comments on (Non-)Chiral Gauge Theories and Type IIB Branes

We use type IIB brane configurations which were recently suggested by Hanany and Zaffaroni to study four dimensional N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories. We calculate the one loop beta function and realize Seiberg's duality using a particular configuration. We also comment on the anomaly cancelation condition in the case of chiral theories and the beta function in the case of chiral and SO/Sp theories.

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arXiv1998

Baryons from Supergravity

We study the construction of baryons via supergravity along the line suggested recently by Witten and by Gross and Ooguri. We calculate the energy of the baryon as a function of its size. As expected the energy is linear with N. For the non-supersymmetric theories (in three and four dimensions) we find a linear relation which is an indication of confinement. For the {\cal N} = 4 theory we obtain the result (E L= - {const.}) which is compatible with conformal invariance. Surprisingly, our calculation suggests that there is a bound state of k quarks if N\geq k\geq 5N/8. We study the {\cal N} = 4 theory also at finite temperature and find the zero temperature behavior for small size of the baryon, and screening behaviour for baryon, whose size is large compared to the thermal wavelength.

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arXiv1998

Wilson Loops in the Large N Limit at Finite Temperature

Using a proposal of Maldacena we compute in the framework of the supergravity description of N coincident D3 branes the energy of a quark anti-quark pair in the large N limit of U(N) N=4 SYM in four dimensions at finite temperature.

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arXiv1998

More on Probing Branes with Branes

We generalize the Gibbons-Wiltshire solution of four dimensional Kaluza-Klein black holes in order to describe Type IIA solutions of bound states of D6 and D0-branes. We probe the solutions with a D6-brane and a D0-brane. We also probe a system of D2+D0-branes and of a D2-brane bound to a F1-string with a D2-brane. A precise agreement between the SYM and the SUGRA calculations is found for the static force as well as for the $v^2$ force in all cases.

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arXiv1997

On the M-Theory Approach to (Compactified) 5D Field Theories

We construct M-theory curves associated with brane configurations of SU(N), SO(N) and $Sp(2N)$ 5d supersymmetric gauge theories compactified on a circle. From the curves we can account for all the existing different SU(N) field theories with $N_f \leq 2 N$. This is the correct bound for $N \geq 3$. We remark on the exceptional case SU(2). The bounds obtained for SO(N) and $Sp(2N)$ are $N_f\leq N-4$ and $N_f\leq 2N+4$, respectively.

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arXiv1997

Periods, Coupling Constants and Modular Functions in N=2 SU(2) SYM with Massive Matter

We determine the mass dependence of the coupling constant for N=2 SYM with N_f=1,2,3 and 4 flavours. All these cases can be unified in one analytic expression, given by a Schwarzian triangle function. Moreover we work out the connection to modular functions which enables us to give explicit formulas for the periods. Using the form of the J-functions we are able to determine in an elegant way the couplings and monodromies at the superconformal points.

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arXiv1997

Comments on the M Theory Approach to N=1 SQCD and Brane Dynamics

We use the M theory approach of Witten to investigate N=1 SU($N_c$) SQCD with $N_f$ flavors. We reproduce the field theoretical results and identify in M theory the gluino condensate and the eigenvalues of the meson matrix. This approach allows us to identify the constant piece of the effective field theory coupling from which the coefficient of the one-loop $β$-function can be identified. By studying the area of the M-theory five-brane we investigate the stability of type IIA brane configurations. We prove that in a supersymmetric setup there is no force between static D4-branes that end on NS five-branes. The force in the case that there is a relative velocity between the branes is computed. We show that at the regions of intersecting IIA branes the curvature of the M theory five-brane is singular in the type IIA limit.

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arXiv1997

Brane Configurations and 4D Field Theory Dualities

We study brane configurations which correspond to field theories in four dimension with N=2 and N=1 supersymmetry. In particular we discuss brane motions that translate to Seiberg's duality in N=1 models recently studied by Elitzur, Giveon and Kutasov. We investigate, using the brane picture, the moduli spaces of the dual theories. Deformations of these models like mass terms and vacuum expectation values of scalar fields can be identified with positions of branes. The map of these deformations between the electric and dual magnetic theories is clarified. The models we study reproduce known field theory results and we provide an example of new dual pairs with N=1 supersymmetry. Possible relations between brane configurations and non-supersymmetric field theories are discussed.

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arXiv1996

Self-Dual Strings and Stability of BPS States in N=2 SU(2) Gauge Theories

We show how BPS states of supersymmetric SU(2) Yang-Mills with matter -both massless and massive- are described as self-dual strings on a Riemann surface. This connection enables us to prove the stability and the strong coupling behaviour of these states. The Riemann surface naturally arises from type-IIB Calabi-Yau compactifications whose three-branes wrapped around vanishing two-cycles correspond to one-cycles on this surface.

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