English

From correlation functions to Wilson loops

High Energy Physics - Theory 2015-05-19 v3 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

We start with an n-point correlation function in a conformal gauge theory. We show that a special limit produces a polygonal Wilson loop with nn sides. The limit takes the nn points towards the vertices of a null polygonal Wilson loop such that successive distances xi,i+120x^2_{i,i+1} \to 0. This produces a fast moving particle that generates a "frame" for the Wilson loop. We explain in detail how the limit is approached, including some subtle effects from the propagation of a fast moving particle in the full interacting theory. We perform perturbative checks by doing explicit computations in N=4 super-Yang-Mills.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1007.3243,
  title  = {From correlation functions to Wilson loops},
  author = {Luis F. Alday and Burkhard Eden and Gregory P. Korchemsky and Juan Maldacena and Emery Sokatchev},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1007.3243},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

37 pages, 10 figures; typos corrected, references added

R2 v1 2026-06-21T15:50:01.474Z