Exploring N=1 SYM(2+1): the Stress-Tensor Correlator

TL;DR

This paper computes the stress-tensor correlator in 2+1 dimensional N=1 SYM theory at strong coupling using SDLCQ, revealing conformal behavior at short distances and BPS state dominance at large distances, with a critical coupling where the correlator vanishes.

Contribution

It provides a numerical calculation of the stress-tensor correlator in 2+1D N=1 SYM at large N_c using SDLCQ, connecting conformal and non-conformal regimes.

Findings

Reproduces conformal behavior with 1/r^6 decay at short distances.

Shows correlator dominated by BPS states at large distances.

Identifies a critical coupling where the correlator approaches zero.

Abstract

The evaluation of field theoretic correlators at strong couplings is especially interesting in the light of recently discovered string/field theory correspondences. We present a calculation of the stress-tensor correlator in N=1 SYM theory in 2+1 dimensions. We calculate this object numerically with the method of supersymmetric discrete light-cone quantization (SDLCQ) at large N_c. For small distances we reproduce the conformal field theory result with the correlator behaving like 1/r^6. In the large r limit the correlator is determined by the (massless) BPS states of the theory. We find a critical value of the coupling where the correlator goes to zero in this limit. This critical coupling is shown to grow linearly with the square root of the transverse momentum resolution.