Semiclassics at the cusp
A bstract We study cusped Wilson line operators in the Abelian Higgs model in d = 4 − ϵ at large external charges. Using a double-scaling limit Q → ∞, ϵ → 0 with Qϵ fixed, we develop a semiclassical framework that provides analytic control beyond fixed-order perturbation theory. We compute the cusp anomalous dimension for arbitrary charges up to next-to-next-to-leading order in the gauge coupling, while resumming scalar self-interactions to all orders. Our results interpolate between perturbative and large-charge regimes, accessing domains that are invisible in fixed-order perturbation theory. As an application, we provide new predictions for various defect CFT observables, including the Mandelstam–Schwinger-dressed two-point function characterizing the superconducting phase transition.
Authors
- Jahmall Bersini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5176-915X)
- Jesse Woods (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9837-231X)
- Susanne Reffert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5034-028X)
- Domenico Orlando
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of High Energy Physics
- Published
- 2026-09-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep09(2026)011
- Primary Topic
- Black Holes and Theoretical Physics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung