arXiv subjects

Frank Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Ferrari.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Dirichlet Scalar Determinants On Two-Dimensional Constant Curvature Disks

We compute the scalar determinants $\det(Δ+M^{2})$ on the two-dimensional round disks of constant curvature $R=0$, $\mp 2$, for any finite boundary length $\ell$ and mass $M$, with Dirichlet boundary conditions, using the $ζ$-function prescription. When $M^{2}=\pm q(q+1)$, $q\in\mathbb N$, a simple expression involving only elementary functions and the Euler $Γ$ function is found. Applications to two-dimensional Liouville and Jackiw-Teitelboim quantum gravity are presented in a separate paper.

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arXiv2025

Jackiw-Teitelboim Gravity, Random Disks of Constant Curvature, Self-Overlapping Curves and Liouville $\text{CFT}_{1}$

We propose a microscopic definition of finite cut-off JT quantum gravity on the disk, both in the discretized and in the continuum points of view. The discretized formulation involves a new model of so-called self-overlapping random polygons. The measure is not uniform, implying that the degrees of freedom are not in one-to-one correspondence with the shape of the boundary. The continuum formulation is based on a boundary $\text{CFT}_{1}$ from which we predict some critical exponents of the self-overlapping polygon model. The coupling to an arbitrary bulk matter CFT is also discussed.

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arXiv2025

Finite cut-off JT and Liouville quantum gravities on the disk at one loop

Within the path integral formalism, we compute the disk partition functions of two dimensional Liouville and JT quantum gravity theories coupled to a matter CFT of central charge $c$, with cosmological constant $Λ$, in the limit $c\rightarrow -\infty$, $|Λ|\rightarrow\infty$, for fixed $Λ/c$ and fixed and finite disk boundary length $\ell$, to leading and first subleading order in the $1/|c|$ expansion. In the case of Liouville theory, we find perfect agreement with the asymptotic expansion of the known exact FZZT partition function. In the case of JT gravity, we obtain the first explicit results for the partition functions at finite cut-off, in the three versions (negative, zero and positive curvature) of the model. Our findings are in agreement with predictions from the recent proposal for a microscopic definition of JT gravity, including the $c\rightarrow -\infty$ expansion of the Hausdorff dimension of the boundary. In the negative curvature case, we also provide evidence for the emergence of an effective Schwarzian description at length scales much greater than the curvature length scale.

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arXiv2024

Random Disks of Constant Curvature: the Lattice Story

We lay the groundwork for a UV-complete formulation of the Euclidean Jackiw-Teitelboim two-dimensional models of quantum gravity when the boundary lengths are finite, emphasizing the discretized approach. The picture that emerges is qualitatively new. For the disk topology, the problem reduces to counting so-called self-overlapping curves, that are closed loops that bound a distorted disk, with an appropriate multiplicity. We build a matrix model that does the correct counting. The theories in negative, zero and positive curvatures have the same UV description but drastically different macroscopic properties. The Schwarzian theory emerges in the limit of very large and negative cosmological constant in the negative curvature model, as an effective theory valid on distance scales much larger than the curvature length scale. In positive curvature, we argue that large geometries are ubiquitous and that the theory exists only for positive cosmological constant. Our discussion is pedagogical and includes a review of several relevant topics.

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arXiv2021

Gauge Theory Formulation of Hyperbolic Gravity

We formulate the most general gravitational models with constant negative curvature ("hyperbolic gravity") on an arbitrary orientable two-dimensional surface of genus $g$ with $b$ circle boundaries in terms of a $\text{PSL}(2,\mathbb R)_\partial$ gauge theory of flat connections. This includes the usual JT gravity with Dirichlet boundary conditions for the dilaton field as a special case. A key ingredient is to realize that the correct gauge group is not the full $\text{PSL}(2,\mathbb R)$, but a subgroup $\text{PSL}(2,\mathbb R)_{\partial}$ of gauge transformations that go to $\text{U}(1)$ local rotations on the boundary. We find four possible classes of boundary conditions, with associated boundary terms, that can be applied to each boundary component independently. Class I has five inequivalent variants, corresponding to geodesic boundaries of fixed length, cusps, conical defects of fixed angle or large cylinder-shaped asymptotic regions with boundaries of fixed lengths and extrinsic curvatures one or greater than one. Class II precisely reproduces the usual JT gravity. In particular, the crucial extrinsic curvature boundary term of the usual second order formulation is automatically generated by the gauge theory boundary term. Class III is a more exotic possibility for which the integrated extrinsic curvature is fixed on the boundary. Class IV is the Legendre transform of class II; the constraint of fixed length is replaced by a boundary cosmological constant term.

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arXiv2020

On the large $D$ expansion of Hermitian multi-matrix models

We investigate the existence and properties of a double asymptotic expansion in $1/N^{2}$ and $1/\sqrt{D}$ in $\mathrm{U}(N)\times\mathrm{O}(D)$ invariant Hermitian multi-matrix models, where the $N\times N$ matrices transform in the vector representation of $\mathrm{O}(D)$. The crucial point is to prove the existence of an upper bound $η(h)$ on the maximum power $D^{1+η(h)}$ of $D$ that can appear for the contribution at a given order $N^{2-2h}$ in the large $N$ expansion. We conjecture that $η(h)=h$ in a large class of models. In the case of traceless Hermitian matrices with the quartic tetrahedral interaction, we are able to prove that $η(h)\leq 2h$; the sharper bound $η(h)=h$ is proven for a complex bipartite version of the model, with no need to impose a tracelessness condition. We also prove that $η(h)=h$ for the Hermitian model with the sextic wheel interaction, again with no need to impose a tracelessness condition.

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arXiv2019

Phases Of Melonic Quantum Mechanics

We explore in detail the properties of two melonic quantum mechanical theories which can be formulated either as fermionic matrix quantum mechanics in the new large $D$ limit, or as disordered models. Both models have a mass parameter $m$ and the transition from the perturbative large $m$ region to the strongly coupled "black-hole" small $m$ region is associated with several interesting phenomena. One model, with ${\rm U}(n)^2$ symmetry and equivalent to complex SYK, has a line of first-order phase transitions terminating, for a strictly positive temperature, at a critical point having non-trivial, non-mean-field critical exponents for standard thermodynamical quantities. Quasi-normal frequencies, as well as Lyapunov exponents associated with out-of-time-ordered four-point functions, are also singular at the critical point, leading to interesting new critical exponents. The other model, with reduced ${\rm U}(n)$ symmetry, has a quantum critical point at strictly zero temperature and positive critical mass $m_*$. For $0<m<m_*$, it flows to a new gapless IR fixed point, for which the standard scale invariance is spontaneously broken by the appearance of distinct scaling dimensions $Δ_+$ and $Δ_-$ for the Euclidean two-point function when $t\rightarrow +\infty$ and $t\rightarrow -\infty$ respectively. We provide several detailed and pedagogical derivations, including rigorous proofs or simplified arguments for some results that were already known in the literature.

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arXiv2019

A New Large N Expansion for General Matrix-Tensor Models

We define a new large $N$ limit for general $\text{O}(N)^{R}$ or $\text{U}(N)^{R}$ invariant tensor models, based on an enhanced large $N$ scaling of the coupling constants. The resulting large $N$ expansion is organized in terms of a half-integer associated with Feynman graphs that we call the index. This index has a natural interpretation in terms of the many matrix models embedded in the tensor model. Our new scaling can be shown to be optimal for a wide class of non-melonic interactions, which includes all the maximally single-trace terms. Our construction allows to define a new large $D$ expansion of the sum over diagrams of fixed genus in matrix models with an additional $\text{O}(D)^{r}$ global symmetry. When the interaction is the complete vertex of order $R+1$, we identify in detail the leading order graphs for $R$ a prime number. This slightly surprising condition is equivalent to the complete interaction being maximally single-trace.

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arXiv2018

Phase Diagram of Planar Matrix Quantum Mechanics, Tensor, and Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev Models

We compute the phase diagram of a $\text{U}(N)^{2}\times\text{O}(D)$ invariant fermionic planar matrix quantum mechanics [equivalently tensor or complex Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) models] in the new large $D$ limit, dominated by melonic graphs. The Schwinger-Dyson equations can have two solutions describing either a high entropy, SYK black-hole-like phase, or a low entropy one with trivial IR behavior. In the strongly coupled region of the mass-temperature plane, there is a line of first order phase transitions between the high and low entropy phases. This line terminates at a new critical point which we study numerically in detail. The critical exponents are nonmean field and differ on the two sides of the transition. We also study purely bosonic unstable and stable melonic models. The former has a line of Kazakov critical points beyond which the Schwinger-Dyson equations do not have a consistent solution. Moreover, in both models the would-be SYK-like solution of the IR limit of the equations does not exist in the full theory.

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arXiv2017

The Large D Limit of Planar Diagrams

We show that in $\text{O}(D)$ invariant matrix theories containing a large number $D$ of complex or Hermitian matrices, one can define a $D\rightarrow\infty$ limit for which the sum over planar diagrams truncates to a tractable, yet non-trivial, sum over melon diagrams. In particular, results obtained recently in SYK and tensor models can be generalized to traditional, string-inspired matrix quantum mechanical models of black holes.

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arXiv2017

More on the New Large $D$ Limit of Matrix Models

In this paper, we extend the recent analysis of the new large $D$ limit of matrix models to the cases where the action contains arbitrary multi-trace interaction terms as well as to arbitrary correlation functions. We discuss both the cases of complex and Hermitian matrices, with $\text{U}(N)^{2}\times\text{O}(D)$ and $\text{U}(N)\times\text{O}(D)$ symmetries respectively. In the latter case, the new large $D$ limit is consistent for planar diagrams; at higher genera, it crucially requires the tracelessness condition. For similar reasons, the large $N$ limit of tensor models with reduced symmetries is typically inconsistent already at leading order without the tracelessness condition. We also further discuss some interesting properties of purely bosonic models pointed out recently and explain that the standard argument predicting a non-trivial IR behaviour in fermionic models à la SYK does not work for bosonic models. Finally, we explain that the new large $D$ scaling is consistent with linearly realized supersymmetry.

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arXiv2016

Gravity and On-Shell Probe Actions

In any gravitational theory and in a wide class of background space-times, we argue that there exists a simple, yet profound, relation between the on-shell Euclidean gravitational action and the on-shell Euclidean action of probes. The probes can be, for instance, charged particles or branes. The relation is tightly related to the thermodynamic nature of gravity. We provide precise checks of the relation in several examples, which include both asymptotically flat and asymptotically AdS space-times, with particle, D-brane and M-brane probes. Perfect consistency is found in all cases, including in a highly non-trivial example including α'-corrections.

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arXiv2016

The Analytic Renormalization Group

Finite temperature Euclidean two-point functions in quantum mechanics or quantum field theory are characterized by a discrete set of Fourier coefficients $G_{k}$, $k\in\mathbb Z$, associated with the Matsubara frequencies $ν_{k}=2πk/β$. We show that analyticity implies that the coefficients $G_{k}$ must satisfy an infinite number of model-independent linear equations that we write down explicitly. In particular, we construct "Analytic Renormalization Group" linear maps $\mathsf A_μ$ which, for any choice of cut-off $μ$, allow to express the low energy Fourier coefficients for $|ν_{k}|<μ$ (with the possible exception of the zero mode $G_{0}$), together with the real-time correlators and spectral functions, in terms of the high energy Fourier coefficients for $|ν_{k}|\geqμ$. Operating a simple numerical algorithm, we show that the exact universal linear constraints on $G_{k}$ can be used to systematically improve any random approximate data set obtained, for example, from Monte-Carlo simulations. Our results are illustrated on several explicit examples.

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arXiv2016

Black Hole Horizons and Bose-Einstein Condensation

Consider a particle sitting at a fixed position outside of a stable black hole. If the system is heated up, the black hole horizon grows and there should exist a critical temperature above which the particle enters the black hole interior. We solve a simple model describing exactly this situation: a large N matrix quantum mechanics modeling a fixed D-particle in a black hole background. We show that indeed a striking phenomenon occurs: above some critical temperature, there is a non-perturbative Bose-Einstein condensation of massless strings. The transition, even though precisely defined by the presence of the condensate, cannot be sharply detected by measurements made in a finite amount of time. The order parameter is fundamentally non-local in time and corresponds to infinite-time correlations.

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arXiv2015

Holography, Probe Branes and Isoperimetric Inequalities

In many instances of holographic correspondences between a d dimensional boundary theory and a d+1 dimensional bulk, a direct argument in the boundary theory implies that there must exist a simple and precise relation between the Euclidean on-shell action of a (d-1)-brane probing the bulk geometry and the Euclidean gravitational bulk action. This relation is crucial for the consistency of holography, yet it is non-trivial from the bulk perspective. In particular, we show that it relies on a nice isoperimetric inequality that must be satisfied in a large class of Poincaré-Einstein spaces. Remarkably, this inequality follows from theorems by Lee and Wang.

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arXiv2014

FQHE on curved backgrounds, free fields and large N

We study the free energy of the Laughlin state on curved backgrounds, starting from the free field representation. A simple argument, based on the computation of the gravitational effective action from the transformation properties of Green functions under the change of the metric, allows to compute the first three terms of the expansion in large magnetic field. The leading and subleading contributions are given by the Aubin-Yau and Mabuchi functionals respectively, whereas the Liouville action appears at next-to-next-to-leading order. We also derive a path integral representation for the remainder terms. They correspond to a large mass expansion for a related interacting scalar field theory and are thus given by local polynomials in curvature invariants.

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arXiv2014

Multi-Loop Zeta Function Regularization and Spectral Cutoff in Curved Spacetime

We emphasize the close relationship between zeta function methods and arbitrary spectral cutoff regularizations in curved spacetime. This yields, on the one hand, a physically sound and mathematically rigorous justification of the standard zeta function regularization at one loop and, on the other hand, a natural generalization of this method to higher loops. In particular, to any Feynman diagram is associated a generalized meromorphic zeta function. For the one-loop vacuum diagram, it is directly related to the usual spectral zeta function. To any loop order, the renormalized amplitudes can be read off from the pole structure of the generalized zeta functions. We focus on scalar field theories and illustrate the general formalism by explicit calculations at one-loop and two-loop orders, including a two-loop evaluation of the conformal anomaly.

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arXiv2014

D-Brane Probes in the Matrix Model

Recently, a new approach to large N gauge theories, based on a generalization of the concept of D-brane probes to any gauge field theory, was proposed. In the present note, we compute the probe action in the one matrix model with a quartic potential. This allows to illustrate several non-trivial aspects of the construction in an exactly solvable set-up. One of our main goal is to test the bare bubble approximation. The approximate free energy found in this approximation, which can be derived from a back-of-an-envelope calculation, matches the exact result for all values of the 't Hooft coupling with a surprising accuracy. Another goal is to illustrate the remarkable properties of the equivariant partial gauge-fixing procedure, which is at the heart of the formalism. For this we use a general xi-gauge to compute the brane action. The action depends on xi in a very non-trivial way, yet we show explicitly that its critical value does not and coincide with twice the free energy, as required by general consistency. This is made possible by a phenomenon of ghost condensation and the spontaneous breaking of the equivariant BRST symmetry.

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