Large rank Wilson loops in N=2 superconformal QCD at strong coupling

Understand

We compute the expectation values of circular Wilson loops in large representations at strong coupling, in the large-N limit of the N=2 superconformal theory with SU(N) gauge group and 2N hypermultiplets.

• Employing Pestun's matrix integral, we focus attention on symmetric and antisymmetric representations with ranks of order N.
• We find that large rank antisymmetric loops are independent of the coupling at strong 't Hooft coupling while symmetric Wilson loops grow exponentially with it.
• Symmetric loops display a non-analyticity as a function of the rank, characterized by the splitting of a single matrix model eigenvalue from the continuum, bearing close resemblance to Bose-Einstein condensation in an ideal gas.