Related papers: Large-density field theory, viscosity, and "$2k_F$…
We study the class of pulsating strings on $AdS_5\times T^{1,1}$. Using a generalized ansatz for pulsating string configurations we find new solutions of this class. Further we quasi-classically quantize the theory and obtain the first…
We show that $4$-dimensional Robertson-Walker spacetimes can be constructed for which all of the beta functions vanish to leading order, yielding consistent string theory without extra dimensions. We find that there is a unique static…
Through the AdS/CFT correspondence, Lifshitz spacetimes describe field theories with dynamical scaling ($z \neq 1$). Although curvature invariants are small, the Lifshitz metric exhibits a null singularity in the IR with a large tidal force…
What is the space of weakly-coupled, gravitational theories which contain massive, higher-spin particles? This class of theories is highly constrained and it is conjectured their ultraviolet completion must be string theory. We provide more…
Gauge symmetry enhancing, at specific points of the compactification space, is a distinguished feature of string theory. In this work we discuss the breaking of such symmetries with tools provided by Double Field Theory (DFT). As a main…
In recent years the complex action problem of lattice field theory at finite density was overcome for several system by mapping them to dual variables (flux lines and surfaces). We illustrate this mapping for the case of the U(1) gauge…
A method to solve various aspects of the strong coupling expansion of the superconformal field theory duals of AdS_5 x X geometries from first principles is proposed. The main idea is that at strong coupling the configurations that dominate…
We study strong coupling effects in four-dimensional heterotic string models where supersymmetry is spontaneously broken with large internal dimensions, consistently with perturbative unification of gauge couplings. These effects give rise…
Using the embedding tensor formalism we give the general conditions for the existence of N=1 vacua in spontaneously broken N=2 supergravities. Our results confirm the necessity of having both electrically and magnetically charged multiplets…
String theory on AdS3 backgrounds arises as an IR limit of Little String Theory on NS5-branes. A wide variety of holographic RG flows from the fivebrane theory in the UV to (orbifolds of) AdS3 in the IR is amenable to exact treatment in…
We investigate stringy excitations in Randall-Sundrum effective theories for electroweak symmetry breaking arising from embedding in string theory. RS is dual to a confining gauge theory, which we expect to have "QCD strings," or color flux…
String scattering amplitudes in the high energy asymptotic region have been studied by saddle point approximation. Recently, it was pointed out that infinitely many complex saddles contribute to string amplitudes even at tree-level after…
We conjecture the existence of two new non-gravitational six-dimensional string theories, defined as the decoupling limit of NS5-branes in the background of near-critical electrical two- and three-form RR fields. These theories are…
In recent years two intriguing observations have been made for N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and for superstrings on AdS5xS5: In the planar limit the computation of the spectrum is vastly simplified by the apparent integrability of the…
Long strings emerge in many Quantum Field Theories, for example as vortices in Abelian Higgs theories, or flux tubes in Yang-Mills theories. The actions of such objects can be expanded in the number of derivatives, around a long straight…
As of today there exist consistent, gauge-invariant string field theories describing all string theories: bosonic open and closed strings, open superstrings, heterotic strings and type II strings. The construction of these theories require…
We compare large $N$ expansion of the localization result for the free energy $F$ in the 3d $\mathcal{N}=6$ superconformal $U(N)_k \times U(N)_{-k}$ Chern-Simons-matter theory to its AdS/CFT counterpart, i.e. to the perturbative expansion…
We study new physical phenomena and constraints in generalized scalar--tensor theories of gravity with $\Phi$--dependent masses. We investigate a scenario (which can arise in string theories) with two types of $\Phi$--dependent masses which…
We study five-dimensional ${\cal N}=1$ Superconformal Field Theories of the linear quiver type. These are deformed by a relevant operator, corresponding to a homogeneous mass term for certain matter fields. The free energy is calculated at…
We introduce a natural model of quintessence in string theory where the light rolling scalar is radiatively stable and couples to Standard Model matter with weaker-than- Planckian strength. The model is embedded in an anisotropic type IIB…