Thermal field theory correlators in the large-N limit and the spectral duality relation

Grozdanov, Sašo (author), Vrbica, Mile (author)

In ref. [1], we derived a spectral duality relation applicable to the spectra of 3d conformal field theories (CFTs) and their holographically dual 4d black holes. In this work, we further elaborate on the properties of this duality relation and argue that the same relation can be applied to certain pairs of thermal correlator spectra in large-N quantum field theories in any number of spacetime dimensions, provided the correlators are meromorphic functions with only simple poles and satisfy the thermal product formula. We discuss a rich set of properties that such retarded two-point functions must exhibit. We then show that the spectral duality relation and its implications apply to pairs of correlators in double-trace deformed CFTs and, more generally, to correlators in theories related by the Legendre transform. We illustrate, through several examples, how the spectrum of one correlator can be reconstructed from that of its dual correlation function. Notably, this includes cases relating the thermal spectra of scalar primary operators at ultraviolet and infrared fixed points, as well as current operators in a CFT$_3$ and its particle-vortex dual.

• Language: English
• Keywords: conformal field theories, thermal field theory, high energy physics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 54 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 2026, art. no. 106
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179529
• UDC: 539.1
• ISSN on article: 1029-8479
• DOI: 10.1007/JHEP02(2026)106
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268594179
• Publication date in RUL: 16.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: The journal of high energy physics
• Shortened title: J. high energy phys.
• Publisher: SISSA
• ISSN: 1029-8479
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1314148

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.