On non-supersymmetric conformal manifolds: field theory and holography

Abstract

We discuss the constraints that a conformal field theory should enjoy to admit exactly marginal deformations, i.e. to be part of a conformal manifold. In particular, using tools from conformal perturbation theory, we derive a sum rule from which one can extract restrictions on the spectrum of low spin operators and on the behavior of OPE coefficients involving nearly marginal operators. We then consider conformal field theories admitting a gravity dual description, and as such a large-$N$ expansion. We discuss the relation between conformal perturbation theory and loop expansion in the bulk, and show how such connection could help in the search for conformal manifolds beyond the planar limit. Our results do not rely on supersymmetry, and therefore apply also outside the realm of superconformal field theories.

30 pages, figures. v3: discussion on contribution of graviton exchange extended + minor corrections

References in corpus (4)

• Holography from Conformal Field Theory
• Writing CFT correlation functions as AdS scattering amplitudes
• Boundary Conformal Field Theory and a Boundary Central Charge
• Large N Field Theory and AdS Tachyons

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• Tri-vector deformations on compact isometries
• Marginal deformations from type IIA supergravity
• Charting the Conformal Manifold of Holographic CFT${}_2$'s
• Holographic 3d $\mathcal{N}=1$ Conformal Manifolds
• Critical properties of three-dimensional many-flavour QEDs
• Two-loop mass anomalous dimension in reduced quantum electrodynamics and application to dynamical fermion mass generation