The Noncommutative S-Matrix

Abstract

As a simple example of how recently developed on-shell techniques apply to nonlocal theories, we study the S-matrix of noncommutative gauge theories. In the complex plane, this S-matrix has essential singularities that signal the nonlocal behavior of the theory. In spite of this, we show that tree-level amplitudes may be obtained by BCFW type recursion relations. At one loop we find a complete basis of master integrals (this basis is larger than the corresponding basis in the ordinary theory). Any one-loop noncommutative amplitude may be written as a linear combination of these integrals with coefficients that we relate to products of tree amplitudes. We show that the noncommutative N=4 SYM theory has a structurally simple S-matrix, just like the ordinary N=4 SYM theory.