Two universal results for Wilson loops at strong coupling

TL;DR

This paper derives two universal results for Wilson loops in strongly coupled gauge theories with dual IIB geometries, revealing new computational methods and connections to integrability without assuming supersymmetry.

Contribution

It introduces D5 and D3 brane techniques to compute Wilson loops in arbitrary shapes and representations, expanding understanding of gauge/string duality beyond supersymmetric cases.

Findings

Wilson loops in antisymmetric representations relate to fundamental loops via D5 branes.

Each Wilson loop defines a sequence of operators linked to minimal surfaces in S^5.

Results suggest a connection between Wilson loops and integrability.

Abstract

We present results for Wilson loops in strongly coupled gauge theories. The loops may be taken around an arbitrarily shaped contour and in any field theory with a dual IIB geometry of the form M x S^5. No assumptions about supersymmetry are made. The first result uses D5 branes to show how the loop in any antisymmetric representation is computed in terms of the loop in the fundamental representation. The second result uses D3 branes to observe that each loop defines a rich sequence of operators associated with minimal surfaces in S^5. The action of these configurations are all computable. Both results have features suggesting a connection with integrability.