Disordered vector models: from higher spins to incipient strings

TL;DR

This paper introduces a family of large N disordered models in three dimensions that interpolate between higher spin theories and string theories, analyzing their spectra and unitarity properties.

Contribution

It constructs and studies a one-parameter family of models connecting higher spin duals to string duals, including supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric cases.

Findings

Supersymmetric models are always well-behaved and unitary.

Non-supersymmetric models are unitary only within a limited parameter range.

Spectral and OPE data reveal the transition from higher spins to strings.

Abstract

We present a one-parameter family of large $N$ disordered models, with and without supersymmetry, in three spacetime dimensions. They interpolate from the critical large $N$ vector model dual to a classical higher spin theory, towards a theory with a classical string dual. We analyze the spectrum and OPE data of the theories. While the supersymmetric model is always well-behaved the non-supersymmetric model is unitary only over a small parameter range. We offer some speculations on the origin of strings from the higher spins.