Correlation Function/Wilson Loop Duality in Gauge Theory from EFT

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Main Authors: Chen, Hao, Monni, Pier Francesco, Pang, Zhaoyan, Vita, Gherardo, Zhu, Hua Xing
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Chen, Hao
Monni, Pier Francesco
Pang, Zhaoyan
Vita, Gherardo
Zhu, Hua Xing
author_facet Chen, Hao
Monni, Pier Francesco
Pang, Zhaoyan
Vita, Gherardo
Zhu, Hua Xing
contents In this Letter, we initiate a systematic study of the $n$-point correlation functions (CF) in gauge theories in the sequential light-cone (SLC) limit. Focusing on QCD, we formulate a factorization theorem for the CF of four vector currents in this limit using tools from soft-collinear effective field theory (SCET). This result unveils a duality between CF and Wilson loops in non-conformal field theories, according to which the singular structure of the CF is described by a null polygonal Wilson loop dressed by universal jet functions and current form factors, directly related to well-known ingredients in collider physics. We employ this new factorization theorem to obtain the singular terms of the four-point CF in QCD in the SLC limit up to three loops. This constitutes the first determination of terms beyond one loop and in particular determines, for the first time, conformal-symmetry-breaking terms induced by the non-vanishing $β$-function of QCD. As a stringent check, we verify that our result satisfies the anomalous conformal Ward identities and its leading-transcendental term reproduces the known correlation function in $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM to three loops. Our results are easily generalized to the multi-point case, offering a powerful tool for future applications of SCET to the study of the fundamental structure of gauge theories.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_07377
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Correlation Function/Wilson Loop Duality in Gauge Theory from EFT
Chen, Hao
Monni, Pier Francesco
Pang, Zhaoyan
Vita, Gherardo
Zhu, Hua Xing
High Energy Physics - Theory
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
In this Letter, we initiate a systematic study of the $n$-point correlation functions (CF) in gauge theories in the sequential light-cone (SLC) limit. Focusing on QCD, we formulate a factorization theorem for the CF of four vector currents in this limit using tools from soft-collinear effective field theory (SCET). This result unveils a duality between CF and Wilson loops in non-conformal field theories, according to which the singular structure of the CF is described by a null polygonal Wilson loop dressed by universal jet functions and current form factors, directly related to well-known ingredients in collider physics. We employ this new factorization theorem to obtain the singular terms of the four-point CF in QCD in the SLC limit up to three loops. This constitutes the first determination of terms beyond one loop and in particular determines, for the first time, conformal-symmetry-breaking terms induced by the non-vanishing $β$-function of QCD. As a stringent check, we verify that our result satisfies the anomalous conformal Ward identities and its leading-transcendental term reproduces the known correlation function in $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM to three loops. Our results are easily generalized to the multi-point case, offering a powerful tool for future applications of SCET to the study of the fundamental structure of gauge theories.
title Correlation Function/Wilson Loop Duality in Gauge Theory from EFT
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.07377