New Effects in Gauge Theory from pp-wave Superstrings

Abstract

It has recently been observed that IIB string theory in the pp-wave background can be used to calculate certain quantities, such as the dimensions of BMN operators, as exact functions of the effective coupling lambda' = lambda/J^2. These functions interpolate smoothly between the weak and strong effective coupling regimes of N=4 SYM theory at large R charge J. In this paper we use the pp-wave superstring field theory of hep-th/0204146 to study more complicated observables. The expansion of the three-string interaction vertex suggests more complicated interpolating functions which in general give rise to fractional powers of lambda' in physical observables at weak effective coupling.