An effective string theory of Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices

TL;DR

This paper develops an effective string theory for Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices in the Abelian Higgs model, connecting it to the QCD string and generalizing previous models beyond the London limit.

Contribution

It introduces an anomaly-free effective string action that reduces to the Nambu-Goto action and extends vortex representation beyond fixed Higgs field magnitude.

Findings

Derives an effective string theory for vortices in the Abelian Higgs model.

Shows the theory reduces to Nambu-Goto action when extrinsic curvature is zero.

Provides a model for the QCD string as a vortex in a dual superconductor.

Abstract

We obtain an effective string theory of the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices of the Abelian Higgs model. The theory has an anomaly free effective string action which, when the extrinsic curvature is set equal to zero, yields the Nambu-Goto action. This generalizes previous work in which a string representation was obtained in the London limit, where the magnitude of the Higgs field is fixed. Viewed as a model for long distance QCD, it provides a concrete picture of the QCD string as a fluctuating Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortex of a dual superconductor on the border between type I and type II.