Large N field theories, string theory and gravity

Ofer Aharony, Steven S. Gubser, Juan Maldacena, Hirosi Ooguri, Yaron Oz

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

4031 Scopus citations

Abstract

We review the holographic correspondence between field theories and string/M theory, focusing on the relation between compactifications of string/M theory on Anti-de Sitter spaces and conformal field theories. We review the background for this correspondence and discuss its motivations and the evidence for its correctness. We describe the main results that have been derived from the correspondence in the regime that the field theory is approximated by classical or semiclassical gravity. We focus on the case of the script N sign = 4 supersymmetric gauge theory in four dimensions, but we discuss also field theories in other dimensions, conformal and non-conformal, with or without supersymmetry, and in particular the relation to QCD. We also discuss some implications for black hole physics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)183-386
Number of pages204
JournalPhysics Report
Volume323
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2000

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

Keywords

  • Gauge theories
  • String theory
  • Supergravity
  • Supersymmetry

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