Little String Theory from Double-Scaling Limits of Field Theories

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how little string theory on S^5 can be derived from specific double-scaling limits of maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories on RxS^2 and RxS^3/Z_k, providing a Lagrangian formulation.

Contribution

It identifies the precise double-scaling limits of gauge theories that yield little string theory, matching gauge parameters with gravity duals for a new non-perturbative definition.

Findings

Double-scaling limit on RxS^2 involves ln^3(N) scaling of 't Hooft coupling.

Double-scaling limit on RxS^3/Z_k involves ln^2(N) scaling.

These limits decouple NS5-brane degrees of freedom, defining little string theory.

Abstract

We show that little string theory on S^5 can be obtained as double-scaling limits of the maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories on RxS^2 and RxS^3/Z_k. By matching the gauge theory parameters with those in the gravity duals found by Lin and Maldacena, we determine the limits in the gauge theories that correspond to decoupling of NS5-brane degrees of freedom. We find that for the theory on RxS^2, the 't Hooft coupling must be scaled like ln^3(N), and on RxS^3/Z_k, like ln^2(N). Accordingly, taking these limits in these field theories gives Lagrangian definitions of little string theory on S^5.