Vector Deformations of N=4 Super-Yang-Mills Theory, Pinned Branes, and Arched Strings

TL;DR

This work studies a vector deformation of ${\cal N}=4$ SYM realized as a nonlocal dipole-theory, connected to pinned-brane setups in Taub-NUT spaces with background flux. By expanding the pinned-brane gravity solution, the authors identify a deformation of ${\bf AdS}_5\times {\bf S}^5$ corresponding to the dimension-5 vector operator ${\cal O}_i$ and construct dipoles as arched open strings stabilized by magnetic forces, yielding a holographic dual at large $N$. The analysis includes the dipoles' behavior under magnetic flux, showing mass generation and pinning, and it extends the framework to a $(2,0)$ generalization with discpole excitations. Overall, the paper proposes a concrete brane realization and holographic description of a nonlocal deformation of highly supersymmetric gauge theories, with potential connections to higher-dimensional noncommutative theories.

Abstract

We study a deformation of N=4 Super-Yang-Mills theory by a dimension-5 vector operator. There is a simple nonlocal "dipole" field-theory that realizes this deformation. We present evidence that this theory is realized in the setting of "pinned-branes". The dipoles correspond to open strings that arch out of the brane. We find the gravitational dual of the theory at large N. We also discuss the generalization to the (2,0) theory.