Evidence for Large-N Phase Transitions in N=2* Theory

TL;DR

This paper uses localization to solve N=2* super-Yang-Mills theory at large N, revealing a sequence of phase transitions as the coupling increases, with implications for understanding non-perturbative effects.

Contribution

It provides an exact large-N solution for N=2* theory, identifying phase transitions and their accumulation at infinite coupling, advancing the understanding of non-perturbative phenomena.

Findings

Identification of a large-N phase transition point.

Evidence of an infinite sequence of phase transitions.

Analytic expressions for Wilson loops and free energy.

Abstract

We solve, using localization, for the large-N master field of N=2* super-Yang-Mills theory. From that we calculate expectation values of large Wilson loops and the free energy on the four-sphere. At weak coupling, these observables only receive non-perturbative contributions. The analytic solution holds for a finite range of the 't Hooft coupling and terminates at the point of a large-N phase transition. We find evidence that as the coupling is further increased the theory undergoes an infinite sequence of similar transitions that accumulate at infinity.