Related papers: Renormalization in large-$N$ QCD is incompatible w…

In this work, we aim to characterize the structure of higher-derivative corrections within low-energy Effective Field Theories (EFTs) arising from a UV-complete theory of quantum gravity. To this end, we use string theory as a laboratory…

We identify a regime of the AdS/CFT correspondence in which we can quantitatively match N=4 super Yang-Mills (SYM) for small 't Hooft coupling with weakly coupled type IIB string theory on AdS_5 x S^5. We approach this regime by taking the…

Recently we have shown that a phase transition occurs in the leading approximation of the large N limit in rigid strings coupled to long range Kalb-Ramond interactions. The disordered phase is essentially the Nambu-Goto-Polyakov string…

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…

I present a set of theories which display non-trivial `t Hooft anomaly matching for QCD with $F$ flavors. The matching theories are non-Abelian gauge theories with "dual" quarks and baryons, rather than the purely confining theories of…

We address the issue of T-duality and U-duality symmetries in the toroidally-compactified type IIA string. It is customary to take as a starting point the dimensionally-reduced maximal supergravity theories, with certain field strengths…

The discovery of an axion-like particle above the QCD line would rule out Grand Unified Theories, including the perturbative heterotic string with the Standard Model embedded in a single $E_8$ factor or $SO(32)$. In this work we study a…

We discuss the classical continuum limit of the string field theory dual to the $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ lattice gauge theory and investigate various fundamental phenomena in the continuum theory at the mean-field level. Our construction of the…

A particular choice of renormalization, within the simplifications provided by the non-perturbative property of Effective Locality, leads to a completely finite, renormalized theory of QCD, in which all correlation functions can, in…

We consider type IIB string theory on an $AdS_5 \times S^5/\mathbb{Z}_2$ orbifold background, which should be dual to 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal $SU(N)\times SU(N)$ gauge theory with two bi-fundamental hypermultiplets. The correlator…

As a continuation of the study (in arXiv:2102.07696 and arXiv:2104.12625) of strong-coupling expansion of non-planar corrections in $\mathcal N=2$ 4d superconformal models we consider two special theories with gauge groups $SU(N)$ and…

Many examples of gravitational duals exist of theories that are highly supersymmetric and conformal in the UV yet have the same massless states as {\cal N}=2,1,0 QCD. We discuss such theories with an explicit UV cutoff and propose that, by…

We investigate whether the symmetry transformations of a bosonic string are connected by T-duality. We start with a standard closed string theory. We continue with a modified open string theory, modified to preserve the symmetry…

String tension is introduced in perturbative QCD without hindering ultra violet renormalizability . The running gauge coupling constant remains unaltered and the string tension in the high energy limit vanishes asymptotically. Using 1/N…

The curves that describe the M-theoretic extension of type IIA string configurations with non-supersymmetric field theories on their surface exhibit a duality map. The map suggests a continued link between a SU(N) gauge theory with F…

We consider a non-supersymmetric example of the AdS/CFT duality which generalizes the supersymmetric exactly marginal deformation constructed in hep-th/0502086. The string theory background we use was found in hep-th/0503201 from the AdS_5…

We revisit the singular IIB supergravity solution describing M fractional 3-branes on the conifold [hep-th/0002159]. Its 5-form flux decreases, which we explain by showing that the relevant \NN=1 SUSY SU(N+M)xSU(N) gauge theory undergoes…

We consider the dynamics of confined strings embedded in a gapless four-dimensional theory. To this end, we examine finite-tension string-like solutions to the equations of motion of the $\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^1$ non-linear sigma model. We…

We extend an earlier proposal for a gauge invariant description of off-shell open strings (at tree level), using loop variables, to off-shell closed strings (at tree level). The basic idea is to describe the closed string amplitudes as a…

The matching of global anomalies of a supersymmetric gauge theory and its dual is seen to follow from similarities in their classical chiral rings. These similarities provide a formula for the dimension of the dual gauge group. As examples…