Scattering on the Moduli Space of N=4 Super Yang-Mills

TL;DR

This paper computes one-loop scattering amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory away from the conformal point, revealing simplicity similar to the conformal case and opening avenues for connecting weak and strong coupling regimes.

Contribution

It provides explicit one-loop scattering amplitude calculations in a spontaneously broken N=4 super Yang-Mills theory with massive states, extending understanding beyond the conformal point.

Findings

Amplitudes are surprisingly simple away from the origin of moduli space.

Loop corrections can be computed with mass regulation in N=4 theory.

Results may help connect weak and strong coupling regimes in the theory.

Abstract

We calculate one-loop scattering amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory away from the origin of the moduli space and demonstrate that the results are extremely simple, in much the same way as in the conformally invariant theory. Specifically, we consider the model where an SU(2) gauge group is spontaneously broken down to U(1). The complete component Lagrange density of the model is given in a form useful for perturbative calculations. We argue that the scattering amplitudes with massive external states deserve further study. Finally, our work shows that loop corrections can be readily computed in a mass-regulated N=4 theory, which may be relevant in trying to connect weak-coupling results with those at strong coupling, as discussed recently by Alday and Maldacena.