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Imperial/TP/01-02/029

A class of exact pp-wave string models with interacting light-cone gauge actions

Jorge G. Russoa,b  e-mail address: russo@df.uba.ar  and A.A. Tseytlinc,d  e-mail address: tseytlin.1@osu.edu   Also at Lebedev Physics Institute, Moscow.

a The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics,

I-34100 Trieste, Italy

b Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires,

Ciudad Universitaria and Conicet, Pab. I, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina

c Theoretical Physics Group, Blackett laboratory

Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, U.K.

d Smith Laboratory, Ohio State University

Columbus OH 43210-1106, USA

Abstract

We find a general class of pp-wave string solutions with NS-NS $`H_3`$ or R-R $`F_3`$ field strengths, which are analogous to solutions with non-constant $`F_5`$ recently considered by Maldacena and Maoz (hep-th/0207284). We show that: (i) all pp-wave solutions supported by non-constant $`H_3`$ or $`F_p`$ fields are exact type II superstring solutions to all orders in $`\alpha ^{}`$; (ii) the corresponding light-cone gauge Green-Schwarz actions are non-linear in bosons but always quadratic in fermions, and describe UV finite 2-d theories; (iii) the pp-wave backgrounds supported by non-constant $`F_3`$ field do not have, in contrast to their $`F_5`$-field counterparts, “supernumerary” supersymmetries and thus the associated light-cone GS actions do not possess 2-d supersymmetry. We consider a specific example where the pp-wave $`F_3`$ background is parametrized by an arbitrary holomorphic function of one complex bosonic coordinate. The corresponding GS action has the same bosonic part, similar Yukawa terms but twice as many interacting world-sheet fermions as the (2,2) supersymmetric model originating from the analogous $`F_5`$ background. We also discuss the structure of massless scalar vertex operators in the models related to $`N=2`$ super sine-Gordon and $`N=2`$ super Liouville theories.

August 2002

1. Introduction

Finding new string models with Minkowski signature which are exact in $`\alpha ^{}`$ and whose spectrum can be explicitly determined is of great interest from the point of view of better understanding of string theory in curved (cosmological, black-hole, etc.) backgrounds.

One class of such models has metric admitting a covariantly-constant null Killing vector. Many of such pp-wave backgrounds with metric and other fields having “null” structure \[1,,2\] are simple examples of $`\alpha ^{}`$-exact solutions of string theory (see  for a review).

Some of these backgrounds give exactly solvable (in terms of free oscillators in light-cone gauge) non-compact curved-space superstring models, for which one can find the string spectrum and compute some simplest “observables” (partition function, some correlation functions, etc.) in much the same way as in flat space . As was recently realized \[5,,6,,7,,8\], this solvability property applies to string models corresponding not only to the NS-NS but also to certain R-R \[9\] plane-wave backgrounds.

It is then natural to look for more complicated cases where the light-cone action is no longer quadratic but may be integrable, so that the corresponding string spectrum may still be possible to determine. An interesting example of such models (representing a pp-wave metric supported by a particular non-constant R-R 5-form background) was recently proposed in .

In this paper we first study a general class of NS-NS models based on pp-wave metric and “null” 3-form $`H_3`$ background depending on arbitrary harmonic functions $`b_m(x)`$ ($`^2b_m=0,m=1,2,\mathrm{}`$) of the transverse coordinates $`x_i`$. The special case when $`b_m`$ are linear in $`x_i`$ corresponds to homogeneous plane-wave backgrounds with constant $`H_3`$ field (these are, in fact, WZW models ). Another special case which we consider is where $`b_m`$ are chosen to be holomorphic functions of complex combinations ($`z_1=x_1+ix_2,\mathrm{}`$) of coordinates $`x_i`$. The R-R counterpart of this background – with $`H_3`$ replaced by the R-R 3-form $`F_3`$ – is the direct analog of the $`F_5`$-solution of .

We shall demonstrate that all such backgrounds (both the NS-NS and the R-R ones, including the one of ) are exact superstring solutions to all orders in $`\alpha ^{}`$: all corrections to the leading-order field equations should vanish in a natural scheme. A direct world-sheet proof of exactness of the non-constant $`F_5`$-background of  (and certain other supersymmetric pp-wave backgrounds) was recently given in . The space-time argument presented here is universal: it applies to general pp-wave string models with a non-constant $`F_p`$ field.

The NS-NS models describe a new class of exact string solutions, different from the chiral null models  which are also exact in $`\alpha ^{}`$ but in which the form of the $`B_2`$ background is correlated with the off-diagonal terms in the metric.

For the pp-wave background with a R-R $`F_3`$ field, the holomorphic functions parametrizing the background can be chosen so that the bosonic part of the light-cone gauge GS Lagrangian is that of an integrable (e.g., super sine-Gordon or super Liouville) model. The same pp-wave metric can be supported by different R-R field strengths, leading to solutions with different amounts (and types of) of supersymmetry. In contrast to the $`F_5`$ models of , here the fermionic GS extension of the same bosonic light-cone action, while still representing a UV finite 2-d theory, is not (2,2) supersymmetric: in the $`F_3`$ case there are twice as many fermions and the coefficient of the Yukawa interaction term is smaller by factor of $`\sqrt{2}`$. The corresponding string background preserves 8 space-time supersymmetries, whose role in the light-cone gauge is to imply the existence of the same number of massless fermions which are decoupled from the rest of the fields.

There are several reasons which make these non-supersymmetric 1+1 dimensional models worth of further study. In particular, like their (2,2) supersymmetric counterparts, they may turn out to be integrable. This property would allow one to determine the corresponding string spectra. Another interesting question is whether the NS-NS models describing similar inhomogeneos pp-wave backgrounds, which have an advantage of their covariant-gauge action (having as usual (1,1) world-sheet supersymmetry) being explicitly known, may also be integrable.

Before proceeding to the main topic of this paper, let us recall some other previously known embeddings of interacting non-conformal 2-d theories (with $`d`$-dimensional Euclidean-signature target space) into $`\alpha ^{}`$-exact conformal sigma models (with $`2+d`$ dimensional Minkowski-signature target space).

Given a generic non-conformal sigma model with a curved Euclidean $`d`$-dimensional space $`ds_d^2=g_{ij}(x)dx^idx^j`$ as a target space and with the RG beta-function $`\beta _{ij}(g)=R_{ij}+\mathrm{}`$, one can construct  a special Weyl-invariant sigma-model (i.e. a string solution) with the following $`2+d`$ dimensional Minkowski-signature metric and the dilaton

$$ds_{2+d}^2=dudv+g_{ij}(x,u)dx^idx^j,\varphi (x,u,v)=v+\stackrel{~}{\varphi }(u,x).$$

Here $`g_{ij}(x,u)`$ is subject to the 1-st order differential equation

$$\frac{}{u}g_{ij}(x,u)=\beta _{ij}(g(x,u)),$$

which is nothing but the RG equation in the “transverse” $`d`$-dimensional theory, with $`u`$ interpreted as a logarithm of the 2-d UV scale. A class of exact string solutions  is found, in particular, in the case when the transverse model is a (2,2) supersymmetric Einstein-Kahler sigma model (for which the $`\beta _{ij}`$-function has only the one-loop term). The simplest $`2+d=4`$ dimensional example is provided by the $`O(3)`$ sigma model with $`g_{ij}(x)`$ being the $`S^2`$-metric. Here $`g_{ij}(x,u)=ug_{ij}`$ and thus

$$ds_{2+d}^2=dudv+u(d\theta ^2+\mathrm{sin}^2\theta d\phi ^2),\varphi (x,u,v)=v+\frac{1}{4}\mathrm{ln}u.$$

The key feature of these solutions is that the dilaton is non-trivial, and contains, in particular, the term linear in $`v`$. This means that in the light-cone gauge description, the non-conformal transverse theory should be supplemented by the definition of the stress tensor following from the original “$`2+d`$-dimensional” covariant action.

In another example we would like to mention one promotes an interacting Toda-type 2-d QFT to a Minkowski-signature string solution in $`2+d`$ dimensions by using the following pp-wave background with linear dilaton  ($`\rho _i`$=const, $`i=1,\mathrm{},d`$)

$$ds_{2+d}^2=dudv+K(x)du^2+dx_idx_i,\varphi =\rho _ix_i.$$

The string equations are then satisfied to all orders provided

$$_i_iK2\rho _i_iK=0,\rho _i\rho _i=\frac{1}{4\alpha ^{}}(8d).$$

The solution for $`K`$ can be chosen as a sum of exponents: $`K=_nc_ne^{\alpha _{ni}x_i}`$, where for each $`n`$ we should have $`\alpha _{ni}\alpha _{ni}=2\rho _i\alpha _{ni}`$. A particular case is provided by the Toda model potential, i.e. we end up with the Toda model as the light-cone gauge theory.1 Explicitly, the Toda model corresponds to the case when $`\alpha _i`$ are simple roots of the Lie algebra of a maximally non-compact real Lie group $`G`$ of rank $`N=d2`$ and $`\rho _i=\frac{1}{2}_n\alpha _{ni}`$ is half of the sum of all positive roots.  The sigma model corresponding to (1.1) is T-dual (in $`y=uv`$ coordinate) to a sigma model associated with a particular $`G/H`$ “null-gauged” WZW model .2 There $`H`$ is a nilpotent subgroup of $`G`$ generated by $`N1`$ simple roots (this condition on $`H`$ is needed to get a model with only one time-like direction). The flat transverse coordinates $`x^i`$ correspond to the Cartan subalgebra generators.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows.

In section 2 we present a class of pp-wave solutions with non-constant $`H_3`$ form and constant dilaton. We argue that all similar pp-wave backgrounds supported by NS-NS or R-R fields (including the ones of ) should be exact solutions of superstring theory. We also determine conditions for residual supersymmetry of the $`H_3`$-background. In section 3 we discuss a subclass of NS-NS solutions which are parametrized by holomorphic functions, determining the fractions of supersymmetry they preserve. In section 4 we write down the (1,1) supersymmetric RNS sigma model Lagrangians for these backgrounds.

In section 5.1 we find the light-cone gauge GS actions associated with pp-wave backgrounds with non-constant $`F_p`$ fields. We first show that the corresponding interacting 2-d actions are always quadratic in GS fermions and thus are easy to write down. We then prove (in section 5.2) that these light-cone actions define UV finite 2-d theories, in agreement with the general $`\alpha ^{}`$-exactness argument of section 2.2.

In section 5.3 we consider explicitly the light-cone GS action for the pp-wave R-R $`F_3`$ background which is “S-dual” to the NS-NS background of section 2.1. This background does not admit “supernumerary” Killing spinors (i.e. the ones which are not annihilated by the light-cone gauge condition ), and thus the associated light-cone GS action does not have “accidental” linearly realized 2-d supersymmetry. This is in contrast to the case of $`F_5`$-background of  where a similar model (with the same bosonic part) is (2,2) supersymmetric.

Finally, in section 6, we consider two examples of backgrounds parametrized by a holomorphic function, which are related to integrable models. We present a discussion of the structure of the associated massless vertex operators, which applies also to the model of .

2. Supersymmetric pp-wave model with non-constant NS-NS 3-form background

2.1. The form of the string solution

Let us consider the following ansatz for the metric and NS-NS 2-form potential in 10-dimensional superstring theory

$$ds^2=dudv+K(x)du^2+dx_i^2+dy_m^2,i=1,\mathrm{},d,m=d+1,..,8,$$

$$B_2=b_m(x)dudy_m,H_3=_ib_m(x)dx_idudy_m.$$

We split the 8 transverse coordinates into two groups – $`x_i`$ and $`y_m`$, with the functions $`K`$ and $`b_m`$ depending only on $`x_i`$. We set the dilaton to be constant, but there is a straightforward generalization to the case when $`\varphi =\rho _ix_i+\stackrel{~}{\varphi }(u)`$ (which makes possible to include the background (1.1),(1.1) as a special case). Another obvious generalization is to allow $`K`$ and $`b_m`$ to depend on $`u`$.

In view of the structure of the background (in particular, the fact that the non-zero part of curvature of the metric (2.1) is $`R_{uiuj}=\frac{1}{2}_i_jK`$) the non-trivial components of the leading-order string field equations are $`D_iH_{iku}=0`$ and $`R_{uu}\frac{1}{4}H_{ukl}H_u^{kl}=0`$. They imply (we always assume summation over $`i`$ and $`m`$)3 In the case of a non-trivial dilaton $`\varphi =\rho _ix_i`$ these equations become (cf. (1.1)): $`(_i2\rho _i)_ib_m=0,(_i2\rho _i)_iK+_ib_m_ib_m=0.`$

$$_i_ib_m=0,_i_iK+_ib_m_ib_m=0.$$

Thus $`b_m`$ can be any set of harmonic functions of $`x_i`$, while the general solution for $`K`$ can be written as

$$K=\frac{1}{2}b_mb_m+K_0,_i_iK_0=0.$$

There are several special cases. For $`b_m=0`$ we recover the standard pp-wave solution with $`K=K_0(x)`$ being a harmonic function. For linear $`b_m`$, i.e. constant $`H_3`$, and $`K_0=0`$ we get

$$b_m=f_{mi}x_i,H_3=f_{mi}dx_idudy_m,K=\frac{1}{2}w_{ij}x_ix_j,w_{ij}f_{mi}f_{mj},$$

where $`w_{ij}`$ (which is the mass matrix for $`x_i`$ in the light-cone gauge action) is non-negative. The corresponding models can be interpreted as WZW theories for non-semisimple groups  (see also \[4,,8\]).4 In this case the generalized curvature $`\widehat{R}`$ discussed in the next subsection vanishes, as it should be for a parallelizable space.

Another regular solution of the equation for $`b_m`$ which does not require an introduction of singularities or sources is given by a quadratic “traceless” form:5 In what follows we set the solution $`K_0`$ of the homogeneous equation in (2.1) to zero.

$$b_m=c_{mij}x_ix_j,c_{mii}=0,K=\frac{1}{2}d_{ijkl}x_ix_jx_kx_l,d_{ijkl}c_{mij}c_{mkl}.$$

This gives a quartic non-negative potential in the light-cone gauge.6 The potential will always have flat directions. For example, one can choose $`b_m=c_m(x_1^2x_2^2)`$, so that $`K=\frac{1}{2}c^2(x_1^2x_2^2)^2`$. An example of a singular solution (which needs to be supported by a delta-function source) is $`b_m=\frac{Q_m}{x^{d2}}`$ and $`K=\frac{Q_m^2}{2x^{2d4}}`$. 7 Note that such $`K`$ decays twice as fast as the harmonic function $`K=K_0`$ of the standard pp-wave solution with $`H_3=0`$.

The Laplace equation for $`b_m`$ in (2.1) can be solved also by choosing $`b_m`$ to be, e.g., real part of holomorphic functions of complex combinations of coordinates $`z_1=x_1+ix_2,`$ etc. The corresponding string models parametrized by holomorphic functions will be discussed below in section 3. Their R-R counterparts (with $`H_3`$ replaced by “S-dual” $`F_3`$ background) are direct analogs of the pp-wave solution  supported by a non-constant 5-form background. Such solutions will, in general, be singular at some points, i.e. they will require extra assumptions about sources or string-theory resolution of the singularities (cf. ).

Finally, let us mention that lifts of the above solutions to 11 dimensions belong to a class of $`D=11`$ pp-wave backgrounds first considered in  (a general discussion of pp-waves in $`D=10`$ supergravity appeared also in ). There the 4-form background was chosen as $`F_4=f_3du`$ with 3-form $`f_3`$ being any closed and co-closed form and $`K`$-function in the metric satisfying $`^2K=|f_3|^2`$. The present NS-NS solutions correspond to a specific choice of $`f_3=_ib_m(x)dx_idy_mdx_{11}`$. The focus of the present paper is not on studying general types of pp-wave solutions of supergravity as such, but on identifying backgrounds which are exact in $`\alpha ^{}`$, and which lead to new exactly solvable superstring models.

2.2. Exactness in $`\alpha ^{}`$

We shall now show that the above background represents an exact string solution, i.e. there exists a scheme in which it is not modified to all orders in $`\alpha ^{}`$. We shall first give a general argument based on the structure of low-energy effective action in closed superstring theory. This argument will apply not only to the NS-NS background (2.1),(2.1) but also to any similar R-R background with the pp-wave metric (2.1) supported by a p-form field strength which has a “null” form

$$F_p=f_{k_1\mathrm{}k_{p1}}(x)dx^{k_1}\mathrm{}dx^{k_{p1}}du.$$

In particular, this will also demonstrate the exactness of the pp-wave background considered in . We shall then present a somewhat different argument (based on certain plausible conjecture on the structure of the beta-functions in the general bosonic or (1,1) supersymmetric sigma model) which will suggest the exactness of the NS-NS background (2.1),(2.1) already in the bosonic string theory.

Let us start with a digression on the structure of the type II superstring effective action. By definition, the effective action for the massless string modes is constructed so that to reproduce the string S-matrix. Field redefinitions \[19,,20,,21,,22\] allow one to avoid “quadratic” or “propagator correction” terms (i.e. terms whose weak-field expansion starts with quadratic terms). In addition, as is well known , the on-shell superstring amplitudes for massless modes do not contain (in contrast to the bosonic string amplitudes) $`\alpha ^{}`$-corrections, i.e. the supergravity 3-point amplitudes are exact. This suggests that there may exist a field-redefinition choice (or, in the $`\beta `$-function context, a 2-d RG scheme) in which the weak-field expansion of the $`\alpha ^{}`$-dependent part of the effective action starts with quartic terms only (i.e., $`\alpha ^3RRRR+\mathrm{}`$). Indeed, since the “quadratic” and “cubic” terms that may be present in the action should not contribute to the S-matrix, it may be possible to redefine them away. More precisely, for our present purpose, it is sufficient to argue that in such a scheme the effective Lagrangian will not contain terms like

$$\mathrm{\Delta }L=a_1(D\mathrm{}DR)^2+a_2(D\mathrm{}DF)^2+a_3R_{\mu .\nu .}D\mathrm{}DF_\mu \mathrm{}D\mathrm{}DF_\nu \mathrm{}.$$

Here $`R`$ is curvature, $`D`$ is covariant derivative and $`F=dC`$ stands for any p-form field strength of the type II supergravity multiplet, including $`H_3`$. In this case there will be no terms like

$$c_1D\mathrm{}DR_{\mu .\nu .}+c_2D\mathrm{}DF_\mu \mathrm{}D\mathrm{}DF_\nu \mathrm{}$$

in the equation for the metric, and the terms like $`D\mathrm{}DF`$ in the equation for the p-form field.

To prove that the terms in (2.1) can either be redefined away or modify the 3-point S-matrix (and thus are excluded in the superstring case), let us make several observations.8 We are grateful to R. Metsaev for an important criticism that helped to clarify the argument below. We shall concentrate on the $`a_3`$-terms in (2.1) since the argument for $`a_1`$ and $`a_2`$ terms is trivial. First, as we will be interested only in the $`c_2`$-terms in (2.1) which do not contain extra powers of $`R`$, we may ignore commutators of covariant derivatives in (2.1) (it is, in fact, sufficient to replace $`D_\mu `$ in (2.1) by $`_\mu `$). Second, the $`a_3`$-terms in (2.1) which contain (after integration by parts) two contracted derivatives acting on one field, i.e. $`D^2R`$ or $`D^2F`$ factors, can be eliminated by a local metric or potential $`C`$ redefinition in the standard $`R+F^2`$ kinetic term. Indeed, using Bianchi identities and integrating by parts, such terms can be put into the form proportional (up to higher-order terms that can be ignored) to the leading parts of equations of motion, i.e. they can be written as $`R_{\mu \nu }X_{\mu \nu }`$ and $`D_\mu F_{\mu \nu \mathrm{}}Y_\nu \mathrm{}`$, and thus can be redefined away. Next, the only $`a_3`$-terms in (2.1) that may contribute to the on-shell 3-point amplitudes must have all indices of $`D`$-derivatives contracted with field (polarization tensor) indices and not between themselves: for massless on-shell amplitudes $`p_1+p_2+p_3=0,p_i^2=0,i=1,2,3`$, and thus $`p_ip_j=0`$. Let us consider, for concreteness, the case of $`F=F_3`$. Then the $`a_3`$-terms that may contribute to the S-matrix can only have at most two $`D`$-derivative factors (the total number of indices of $`h_{\mu \nu }`$ and $`C_{\mu \nu }`$ in the 3-point vertex should be greater or equal to the total number of derivatives). Explicitly, such terms are $`R_{\mu \alpha \nu \beta }F_{\mu \alpha \rho }F_{\nu \beta \rho }`$ and $`R_{\mu \alpha \nu \beta }D_\rho F_{\mu \alpha \sigma }D_\sigma F_{\nu \beta \rho }`$ (other contractions of derivatives are equivalent or give vanishing contribution to the 3-point amplitudes). These terms can not be present in the superstring effective action.

Finally, let us show that all other possible terms with contracted derivatives that do not contribute to the S-matrix can indeed be redefined away. Consider the generic case of two contracted derivatives (as already mentioned, positions of derivatives in $`D\mathrm{}D`$ factors in (2.1) are not important): $`L_3=R_{\mu .\nu .}D\mathrm{}DD_\lambda F_{\mu ..}D\mathrm{}DD_\lambda F_{\nu ..}`$. Since terms with $`D^2F_{\mu ..}`$ can be redefined away, we can write $`L_3=R_{\mu .\nu .}D^2(D\mathrm{}DF_{\mu ..}D\mathrm{}DF_{\nu ..})`$, or, integrating by parts, as $`L_3=D^2R_{\mu .\nu .}D\mathrm{}DF_{\mu ..}D\mathrm{}DF_{\nu ..}`$. Since $`D^2R_{\mu \beta \nu \rho }D_\mu D_\nu R_{\beta \rho }+\mathrm{}`$, such terms can be again redefined away.

Returning to our main argument, let us now take into account the specific form of the background in question (2.1) and (2.1). First, we note that its “null” structure implies that all scalar invariants constructed out of $`R,D`$ and $`F`$ identically vanish. The only non-zero components of $`R`$ and $`F`$ have, respectively, two and one of $`u`$-indices, and the only non-zero component of the covariant derivative is $`_i`$ (the fields do not depend on $`v`$). This implies that the only non-trivial correction to the equation $`DF+\mathrm{}=0`$ for $`F`$ must be linear in $`F`$, i.e. it can only have the structure $`D\mathrm{}DF_u\mathrm{}`$ . Such terms that could only originate from the $`a_2`$ term in the effective action (2.1) are prohibited by the above argument. Similarly, any non-zero correction to the Einstein equation must carry two $`u`$-indices. Since the curvature has only $`R_{uiuj}`$ components, the required 2-nd rank tensor that can be constructed from such curvature is $`R_{uu}`$ or $`D\mathrm{}DR_{u.u.}`$. Thus corrections to the Einstein equation (or to the $`\beta `$-function for the metric) could only be of the form

$$d_1D\mathrm{}DR_{u.u.}+d_2D\mathrm{}DF_u\mathrm{}D\mathrm{}DF_u\mathrm{}.$$

They could only follow from the terms (2.1) in the covariant expression (note the position of indices on $`F`$-factors), which, however, should be absent, as explained above, in the natural scheme in which the 2- and 3-point terms in the effective action are not modified from their supergravity values. We conclude that in this scheme the background (2.1),(2.1) or (2.1) that solves the leading-order supergravity equations of motion remains the solution to all orders in $`\alpha ^{}`$-expansion.

Let us now present an alternative argument that will apply only to the NS-NS case but will be valid also in the bosonic string case: it will suggest that the NS-NS sigma model corresponding to (2.1),(2.1) is conformal to all orders in $`\alpha ^{}`$. It is based on a plausible conjecture  that for the general sigma model $`L=(G_{\mu \nu }+B_{\mu \nu })(x)x^\mu x^\nu `$ there should exist an RG scheme in which all $`\alpha ^{}`$ corrections to the beta-functions for $`G_{\mu \nu }`$ and $`B_{\mu \nu }`$ are at least linear in the generalized curvature $`\widehat{R}_{+\mu \nu \lambda \rho }`$(=$`\widehat{R}_{\lambda \rho \mu \nu }`$) defined by the connection $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Gamma }}_{\mu \nu }^\lambda =\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mu \nu }^\lambda \pm \frac{1}{2}H_{\mu \nu }^\lambda `$. This conjecture is supported, in particular, by explicit higher-loop computations \[24\], and by the fact that parallelizable spaces (corresponding to WZW models) are independently known to be finite . In such a scheme all corrections to the $`\beta `$-functions for $`G_{\mu \nu }`$ and $`B_{\mu \nu }`$ must be of the form

$$\beta _{\mu \nu }=P_{\mu \nu }^{\kappa \lambda \rho \sigma }(R,H,D)\widehat{R}_{+\kappa \lambda \rho \sigma }.$$

In the present case of (2.1),(2.1) one finds that the only non-zero components of the generalized curvature are (the Christoffel connection is $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{uu}^i=\frac{1}{2}_iK,\mathrm{\Gamma }_{ui}^v=_iK`$ and $`H_{ium}=_ib_m`$)

$$\widehat{R}_{+uiuj}=\frac{1}{2}_i_jK\frac{1}{4}_ib_m_jb_m,\widehat{R}_{+unum}=\frac{1}{4}_ib_n_ib_m,\widehat{R}_{+jmiu}=_i_jb_m.$$

Note that $`\widehat{R}_{\mu \nu }=0`$ on the equations of motion (2.1). Since the functions $`K`$ and $`b_m`$ do not depend on $`v`$, and any corrections are possible only to $`\beta _{uu}`$. For the present background $`D_u,D_m`$ are trivial and $`H_3`$ and $`\widehat{R}`$ have at least one $`u`$-index. This implies that possible corrections must have the structure $`\beta _{uu}=O_{ij}\widehat{R}_{+uiuj},`$ where $`O_{ij}`$ is a differential operator involving $`D_i`$ only. Since here $`D_i=_i`$, we get $`O_{ij}=k_1_i_j+k_2_i_j^2+\mathrm{}`$ (dots represent terms with higher powers of $`^2`$). As was noted above, such “propagator-correction” terms can be in general redefined away (they should, in fact, be absent in the minimal subtraction scheme).

2.3. Conditions for space-time supersymmetry

Let us now determine the conditions under which the background (2.1),(2.1),(2.1) preserves a fraction of type II space-time supersymmetry. Explicit examples will be given later in section 3.

In the case of the metric and $`H_3`$ given by (2.1),(2.1) and constant dilaton the type IIB dilatino transformation law gives the condition

$$_ib_m\mathrm{\Gamma }^u\mathrm{\Gamma }^{im}ϵ=0.$$

The condition of the vanishing of the gravitino variation is9 Below the sign of $`H_3`$-term is chosen as plus; the case of the minus sign (corresponding to $`b_mb_m`$) leads to equivalent conclusions.

$$[_\mu +\frac{1}{4}(\omega _{\widehat{\lambda }\widehat{\rho }\mu }\pm \frac{1}{2}H_{\widehat{\lambda }\widehat{\rho }\mu })\mathrm{\Gamma }^{\widehat{\lambda }\widehat{\rho }}]ϵ=0.$$

The $`v`$-component is solved provided $`_vϵ=0`$, i.e. $`ϵ=ϵ(u,x,y)`$. The $`i`$ and $`m`$ components give10 We use that $`H_{ium}=_ib_m`$ and the tangent-space components of the Lorentz connection given in eq. (4.5) below. We also omit hats on indices of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$-matrices as the corresponding vierbein components are trivial.

$$_iϵ+\frac{1}{4}_ib_m\mathrm{\Gamma }^{um}ϵ=0,$$

$$_mϵ\frac{1}{4}_ib_m\mathrm{\Gamma }^{ui}ϵ=0.$$

For non-constant $`H_3`$, i.e. $`_i_jb_m0`$, these equations imply11 This is the integrability condition for (2.1),(2.1) which is found by multiplying (2.1) by $`_m`$, (2.1) by $`_j`$, subtracting and using (2.1),(2.1) again.

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }^uϵ=0.$$

As a result, $`ϵ`$ is independent of $`x^i`$ and $`y^m`$. In general, the $`u`$-component of the gravitino variation gives

$$_uϵ+\frac{1}{4}_iK\mathrm{\Gamma }^{ui}ϵ\frac{1}{4}_ib_m\mathrm{\Gamma }^{im}ϵ=0.$$

In view of eq. (2.1) and the fact that $`ϵ`$ is independent of $`x`$ while $`_ib_m`$ is a function of $`x`$, we get the condition

$$_ib_m\mathrm{\Gamma }^{im}ϵ=0,$$

as well as $`_uϵ=0`$.

The condition (2.1) (or (2.1)) ensures the vanishing of the dilatino variation (2.1). The number of remaining supersymmetries thus depends on existence of constant $`ϵ`$ solutions of (2.1).

One important conclusion is that the pp-wave background (2.1),(2.1) with non-constant $`H_3`$ (or its R-R counterpart with $`H_3F_3`$ discussed below) does not have “supernumerary” supersymmetries for which $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^uϵ0`$ (i.e. solutions for $`ϵ`$ which are “orthogonal” to the ones satisfying the GS light-cone gauge condition (2.1)). As a result, in contrast to the case considered in , we should not expect to find extra linearly realized supersymmetries in the corresponding light-cone GS action \[6,,15,,10,,26\]. Still, the light-cone actions we shall get will have several features in common with the one corresponding to the $`F_5`$ case discussed in .

The above discussion applied to the case of the $`H_3`$ background of the form given in (2.1). In general, one can show that there are no “supernumerary” supersymmetries for any pp-wave background supported by any non-constant $`H_3`$ form. Indeed, consider the most general ansatz for the “null’ 2-form field: $`B_2=b_s(x)dudx^s`$. Here $`x^s`$ are all 8 transverse coordinates, i.e. this includes (2.1) as a special case. Then $`H_{usr}f_{sr}=_sb_r_rb_s`$, and thus the $`s`$-component of the gravitino equation gives (cf. (2.1),(2.1))

$$_sϵ+\frac{1}{4}f_{sr}(x)\mathrm{\Gamma }^{ur}ϵ=0.$$

Let us assume that, e.g., $`f_{12}0`$. Acting on the $`s=1`$ equation by $`_2`$ and on the $`s=2`$ equation by $`_1`$, and subtracting, we get $`_sf_{12}\mathrm{\Gamma }^{us}ϵ=0`$. For non-constant $`f_{12}`$, this can be satisfied only if $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^uϵ=0`$. Again, this implies \[6,,15,,10\] that the light-cone GS Lagrangians corresponding pp-wave backgrounds of the form $`ds^2=dudv+K(x)du^2+dx_s^2`$ supported by non-constant $`H_{usr}`$ or $`F_{usr}`$ forms will not have linearly-realized world-sheet supersymmetry.

The case (2.1) of constant $`H_3`$ (i.e. $`_i_jb_m=0`$) is special. Here the gravitino condition does not reduce the number of supersymmetries. For generic constant $`H_3`$ configuration in type IIB theory the dilatino variation equation reduces the number of unbroken supersymmetries to 16, as one is to impose $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^uϵ=0`$ to satisfy (2.1). However, for special “self-dual” matrices $`_ib_m`$ (which correspond, in particular, to the case of the direct sum of the two Nappi-Witten  models which is the Penrose limit of the $`AdS_3\times S_3`$ background) the condition (2.1) breaks less than 16 supersymmetries.12 In the example of the Penrose limit of $`AdS_3\times S_3`$, the resulting number of unbroken supersymmetries, i.e. the solutions to $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^u(1\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0`$, is 24.

3. pp-wave backgrounds parametrized by holomorphic functions

Here we shall specialize to a particular subset of the above backgrounds which may be viewed as NS-NS analogs of the R-R 5-form backgrounds discussed in . They can be found from the general exact solution (2.1)–(2.1) with the even number $`d=2n`$ of $`x_i`$ coordinates and thus $`82n`$ “spectator” coordinates $`y_m`$ organized into two sets of $`n`$ and $`4n`$ complex coordinates $`z_a`$ and $`z_\alpha `$, respectively. The Laplace equation for $`b_m`$ in (2.1) can then be solved in terms of holomorphic and anti-holomorphic functions. The general structure of the solution written in complex coordinates is then

$$ds^2=dudv+K(z_a,z_a^{})du^2+dz_adz_a^{}+dz_\alpha dz_\alpha ^{},$$

$$B_2=\frac{1}{2}\eta _\alpha (z_b)dudz_\alpha +c.c.,H_3=\frac{1}{2}du\omega _2,\omega _2=_a\eta _\alpha (z_b)dz_adz_\alpha +c.c.,$$

$$\eta _\alpha =\eta _\alpha (z_1,\mathrm{},z_n),a=1,\mathrm{},n,\alpha =n+1,\mathrm{},4.$$

The cases of $`n=1,2,3`$ represent inequivalent solutions. A more general solution (belonging again to the family of solutions of section 2.1) can be obtained by choosing13 The particular case $`\eta _\alpha =0`$ is equivalent to the solution (3.1) by the simple change of coordinate $`z_\alpha z_\alpha ^{}`$.

$$\omega _2=_a\eta _\alpha (z_b)dz_adz_\alpha +_a\rho _\alpha (z_b)dz_adz_\alpha ^{}+c.c..$$

3.1. Particular examples

Simple examples of solutions are found by choosing:

$$n=1:\omega _2=_1\eta (z_1)dz_1dz_3+c.c.$$

$$n=2:\omega _2=_1\eta (z_1)dz_1dz_3+_2\stackrel{~}{\eta }(z_2)dz_2dz_4+c.c.$$

$$n=3:\omega _2=_1\eta (z_1,z_2)dz_1dz_4+_2\eta (z_1,z_2)dz_2dz_4+c.c.$$

Eq. (3.1) is a special case of (3.1) with $`\eta _3=\eta (z_1)`$ and $`\eta _2=\eta _4=0`$. The $`n=2`$ example (3.1) is obtained from (3.1) by setting $`\eta _3=\eta (z_1)`$ and $`\eta _4=\stackrel{~}{\eta }(z_2)`$. The more general $`n=3`$ case has $`\eta =\eta _4(z_1,z_2,z_3)`$ (then $`\omega _2`$ has one extra term containing $`dz_3`$).

For the examples in (3.1), (3.1), eq. (2.1) has the following special solutions for $`K`$ (we choose $`K_0=0`$ in (2.1))

$$n=1:K=\frac{1}{2}|\eta (z_1)|^2,$$

$$n=2:K=\frac{1}{2}(|\eta (z_1)|^2+|\stackrel{~}{\eta }(z_2)|^2).$$

It is useful also to record the form of $`H_3`$ in (3.1) and (3.1) in real coordinates. Defining

$$z_1=x_1+ix_3,z_2=x_5+ix_7,z_3=x_2+ix_4,z_4=x_6+ix_8,$$

we get

$$n=1:\omega _2=(_1\eta +_1^{}\eta ^{})(dx_1dx_2dx_3dx_4)+i(_1\eta _1^{}\eta ^{})(dx_1dx_4+dx_3dx_2)$$

and

$$n=2:\omega _2=(_1\eta +_1^{}\eta ^{})(dx_1dx_2dx_3dx_4)+i(_1\eta _1^{}\eta ^{})(dx_1dx_4+dx_3dx_2)$$

$$+(_2\stackrel{~}{\eta }+_2^{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }^{})(dx_5dx_6dx_7dx_8)+i(_2\stackrel{~}{\eta }_2^{}\stackrel{~}{\eta }^{})(dx_5dx_8+dx_7dx_6)$$

Here for convenience we are using the same notation $`x_i`$ for all of the transverse coordinates, instead of the splitting them into $`(x_i,y_m)`$ as we did in section 2.

It is easy to read off the relation between $`\eta _\alpha `$ in (3.1) and $`b_m`$ appearing in the general expression (2.1). For example, in the $`n=1`$ case (3.1), $`x_2,x_4`$ play the role of the two “free” $`y_m`$ coordinates and we have two components of $`b_m`$ which depend on “dynamical” coordinates $`x_1,x_3`$

$$b_2=b_2(x_1,x_3)=\mathrm{Re}\eta ,b_4=b_4(x_1,x_3)=\mathrm{Im}\eta ,$$

so that

$$_1b_2=_3b_4=\mathrm{Re}(_1\eta )=\frac{1}{2}(_1\eta +_1^{}\eta ^{}),_3b_2=_1b_4=\mathrm{Im}(_1\eta )=\frac{1}{2}i(_1\eta _1^{}\eta ^{}).$$

3.2. Space-time supersymmetry

Let us now count the number of unbroken supersymmetries for these solutions, solving the conditions (2.1),(2.1) in the above special cases. First, the condition (2.1) breaks 16 supersymmetries. Consider now the remaining equation (2.1). In the $`n=1`$ case, using (3.1), we get the restriction14 From (3.1) we find that (2.1) takes the form $`[a(x)(\mathrm{\Gamma }_{12}\mathrm{\Gamma }_{34})+b(x)(\mathrm{\Gamma }_{14}\mathrm{\Gamma }_{23})]ϵ=0`$ which can be satisfied for any functions $`a,b`$ if we require $`(\mathrm{\Gamma }_{12}\mathrm{\Gamma }_{34})ϵ=0`$ and $`(\mathrm{\Gamma }_{14}\mathrm{\Gamma }_{23})ϵ=0`$. Each of these two conditions is equivalent to $`(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0`$.

$$(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0$$

which breaks 8 more supersymmetries, so that there are 8 remaining supersymmetries. In the $`n=2`$ case, using (3.1), we obtain

$$(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{5678})ϵ=0,$$

and, as a result, there are 4 unbroken supersymmetries.

In a generic $`n=1`$ model, one has

$$\omega _2=_1\eta _\alpha (z_1)dz_1dz_\alpha +c.c.,$$

where $`\eta _\alpha `$ ($`\alpha =2,3,4`$) are 3 independent functions. Here the condition (2.1) becomes

$$(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1537})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1638})ϵ=0.$$

This leads to two unbroken supersymmetries. The same conclusion is reached for a generic $`n=3`$ model with $`\omega _2=_a\eta _4(z_1,z_2,z_3)dz_adz_4+c.c.`$, where (2.1) leads again to three conditions of the form (3.1), i.e. to two unbroken supercharges.

The generic $`n=2`$ case

$$\omega _2=_1\eta _3(z_1,z_2)dz_1dz_3+_2\eta _3(z_1,z_2)dz_2dz_3$$

$$+_1\eta _4(z_1,z_2)dz_1dz_4+_2\eta _4(z_1,z_2)dz_2dz_4+c.c.$$

requires a closer examination. By writing (3.1) in Cartesian coordinates, we find that for arbitrary functions $`\eta _3(z_1,z_2),\eta _4(z_1,z_2)`$, the supersymmetry condition (2.1) gives

$$(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1234})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{5274})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{5678})ϵ=0,(1+\mathrm{\Gamma }_{1638})ϵ=0.$$

Since the last condition follows from the first three, we conclude that the generic $`n=2`$ case also preserves two supersymmetries.

4. String sigma model actions for the NS-NS pp-wave backgrounds

4.1. Covariant action

The bosonic part of the sigma model Lagrangian corresponding to the generic background (2.1), (2.1), (2.1) (with $`K_0=0`$) is given by 15 We shall use Minkowski world-sheet coordinates with $`\sigma ^\pm =\tau \pm \sigma `$, and $`_\pm =\frac{1}{2}(_\tau \pm _\sigma `$). The string action is $`S=\frac{1}{\pi \alpha ^{}}d^2\sigma L`$. The space-time light-cone coordinates are $`u=yt,v=y+t`$.

$$L_B=_+u_{}v\frac{1}{2}b_m^2(x)_+u_{}u+b_m(x)(_+u_{}y_m_+y_m_{}u)$$

$$+_+x_i_{}x_i+_+y_m_{}y_m.$$

Note that by applying 2-d duality (i.e. T-duality in the target space) in $`y_m`$ we get a model with zero 3-form field but off-diagonal metric, i.e. (4.1) becomes

$$\stackrel{~}{L}_B=_+u_{}v\frac{1}{2}b_m^2(x)_+u_{}u+b_m(x)(_+u_{}\stackrel{~}{y}_m+_+\stackrel{~}{y}_m_{}u)$$

$$+_+x_i_{}x_i+_+\stackrel{~}{y}_m_{}\stackrel{~}{y}_m.$$

In general, the fermionic part of the (1,1) world-sheet supersymmetric sigma model can be written in terms of the generalized Lorentz connections $`\omega _{\pm \widehat{\nu }\mu }^{\widehat{\rho }}=\omega _{\widehat{\nu }\mu }^{\widehat{\rho }}\pm \frac{1}{2}H_{\widehat{\nu }\mu }^{\widehat{\rho }}`$

$$L_F=i\lambda _{R\widehat{\rho }}(\delta _{\widehat{\nu }}^{\widehat{\rho }}_++\omega _{\widehat{\nu }\mu }^{\widehat{\rho }}_+x^\mu )\lambda _R^{\widehat{\nu }}+i\lambda _{L\widehat{\rho }}(\delta _{\widehat{\nu }}^{\widehat{\rho }}_{}+\omega _{+\widehat{\nu }\mu }^{\widehat{\rho }}_{}x^\mu )\lambda _R^{\widehat{\nu }}+\frac{1}{2}\widehat{R}_{+\widehat{\rho }\widehat{\nu }\widehat{\sigma }\widehat{\mu }}\lambda _L^{\widehat{\rho }}\lambda _L^{\widehat{\nu }}\lambda _R^{\widehat{\sigma }}\lambda _R^{\widehat{\mu }}.$$

In the present case of (2.1),(2.1),(2.1) 16 Here $`\eta _{\widehat{u}\widehat{v}}=\frac{1}{2},\eta ^{\widehat{u}\widehat{v}}=2,`$ etc, and hats on $`u,i,m`$ indices can be omitted.

$$\omega _{\pm \widehat{u}\widehat{m}}=\pm \frac{1}{2}_ib_mdx_i,\omega _{\pm \widehat{i}\widehat{m}}=\frac{1}{2}_ib_mdu,\omega _{\pm \widehat{u}\widehat{i}}=\frac{1}{2}_iKdu\frac{1}{2}_ib_mdy_m,$$

and the non-zero components of $`\widehat{R}_{+uiuj}=\widehat{R}_{uiuj}`$ were given in (2.1).

The explicit form of the Lagrangian (4.1) in the case of the $`n=1`$ solution (3.1),(3.1),(3.1) parametrized by an arbitrary holomorphic function $`\eta =\eta (z_1)`$ is ($`\alpha =2,3,4`$)

$$L_B=_+u_{}v\frac{1}{2}\eta \eta ^{}_+u_{}u+\frac{1}{2}\eta (_+u_{}z_3_+z_3_{}u)+\frac{1}{2}\eta ^{}(_+u_{}z_3^{}_+z_3^{}_{}u)$$

$$+_+z_1_{}z_1^{}+_+z_\alpha _{}z_\alpha ^{}.$$

Similarly, by applying T-duality transformations in $`z_3=x_2+ix_4`$ we get a special case of pure-metric model (4.1)

$$\stackrel{~}{L}_B=_+u_{}v\frac{1}{2}\eta \eta ^{}_+u_{}u+\frac{1}{2}\eta (_+u_{}z_3+_+z_3_{}u)+\frac{1}{2}\eta ^{}(_+u_{}z_3^{}+_+z_3^{}_{}u)$$

$$+_+z_1_{}z_1^{}+_+z_\alpha _{}z_\alpha ^{}.$$

4.2. Light-cone gauge action

Let us now consider the form of the string Lagrangian in the light-cone gauge. Since $`u`$ and $`\lambda _{L,R}^u`$ obey free field equations, we can supplement the superconformal gauge with the standard light-cone gauge conditions

$$u=2\alpha ^{}p^u\tau ,\lambda _{L,R}^u=0.$$

Then the bosonic part of the Lagrangian (4.1) takes the form

$$L_B=_+x_i_{}x_i\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2b_m^2(x)\mathrm{m}b_m(x)(_+y_m_{}y_m)+_+y_m_{}y_m,$$

$$\mathrm{m}\alpha ^{}p^u=_\pm u.$$

Note that in our notation $`u,v,x^i,\sqrt{\alpha ^{}},(p^u)^1`$ and thus $`\mathrm{m}`$ have dimension of length, while the world-sheet coordinates $`\tau `$ and $`\sigma `$$`[0,2\pi )`$ are dimensionless.17 The standard alternative is to rescale $`\tau `$ and $`\sigma `$ by $`\alpha ^{}p^u`$ (which is a symmetry of the $`2+d`$ dimensional conformal theory), thus giving them dimension of length. Then in the light-cone gauge $`x^+=2\tau ,0\sigma <2\pi \alpha ^{}p^u`$. The components of the metric and 2-form tensor, i.e. $`K`$ and $`b_m`$ in (2.1),(2.1) or $`\eta _\alpha (z)`$ in (3.1), are also dimensionless. From the world-sheet point of view it is more natural to treat $`u,v,x^i`$ as dimensionless while $`\tau ,\sigma `$ as having dimension of length. Then $`\mathrm{m}`$ has world-sheet dimension of mass.

In view of (2.1),(2.1), the fermionic part of the action (4.1) becomes quadratic in fermions

$$L_F=i\left[\lambda _R^i_+\lambda _R^i+\lambda _L^i_{}\lambda _L^i+\mathrm{m}_ib_m(x)(\lambda _R^i\lambda _R^m\lambda _L^i\lambda _L^m)+\lambda _R^m_+\lambda _R^m+\lambda _L^m_{}\lambda _L^m\right].$$

The sigma model action (4.1),(4.1) follows also directly from the (1,1) superfield form of the action $`d^2\sigma d^2\vartheta (G_{\mu \nu }+B_{\mu \nu })(\widehat{X})D_+\widehat{X}^\mu D_{}\widehat{X}^\nu `$ with $`B_{um}=b_m`$ and the superfield $`\widehat{X}^u`$ chosen in the light-cone gauge form $`\widehat{X}^u=u=2m\tau `$. The latter choice breaks the 2-d Lorentz invariance and the (1,1) 2-d supersymmetry.

The resulting “transverse” gauge-fixed 1+1 dimensional theory is thus not 2-d Lorentz-covariant – the bosonic term originating from the $`B_2`$-coupling contains explicit sigma-derivative (or $`_+_{}`$) term. The absence of manifest 2-d Lorentz covariance of the “transverse” theory is not unfamiliar: it is generic to many similar pp-wave string models written in the light-cone gauge. In particular, the Lorentz covariance is absent in all cases where $`K`$ has $`u`$\- (and thus $`\tau `$-) dependence.

The Lagrangian (4.1),(4.1) may be interpreted as describing a system of chiral scalars $`y_{L,R}^m`$ and their (1,0) and (0,1) superpartners $`\lambda _{L,R}^m`$ interacting with scalars $`x^i`$ and fermions $`\lambda _{L,R}^i`$. There is an obvious left-right decomposition in the $`y^m,\lambda ^m`$ sector, but the two chiral sectors are mixed by the interaction terms in the $`x^i,\lambda ^i`$ sector.

5. Light-cone gauge GS string actions for the non-constant R-R pp-wave backgrounds

By applying S-duality transformation to the background (2.1), (2.1), (2.1), i.e. replacing $`H_3`$ by $`F_3`$, we obtain another solution of type IIB supergravity theory which has constant dilaton and non-trivial R-R 3-form field. According to the argument in section 2.2, this R-R background, just like its NS-NS counterpart, is, in fact, an exact solution of type IIB string theory. The conditions of space-time supersymmetry are again determined by (2.1) and (2.1).

To find the form of the corresponding light-cone gauge Green-Schwarz action we follow the same logic as was used in \[7,,8\]. As was mentioned in \[7,,8\] in the case of constant R-R p-form strengths, and as we shall explicitly prove below in the general case of non-constant R-R pp-wave backgrounds, the property that the curvature and $`F_p`$ have null structure implies that all higher than quadratic terms in fermions should be absent from the GS action written in the light-cone gauge

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }^u\theta ^{1,2}=0,u=2\mathrm{m}\tau ,\mathrm{m}\alpha ^{}p^u,$$

while the quadratic fermionic term is essentially determined \[7,,8\] (see also \[27,,28\]) by the structure of the corresponding generalized covariant derivative18 Here we use the standard normalization in which $`e^\varphi =1`$, so that the R-R terms in the covariant derivative in eq. (5.4) of  should be multipled by extra 1/2.

$$L_{2F}=i_{}X^\mu \overline{\theta }^1\mathrm{\Gamma }_\mu \widehat{D}_+\theta ^1+i_+X^\mu \overline{\theta }^2\mathrm{\Gamma }_\mu \widehat{D}_{}\theta ^2,$$

where in the $`F_3`$-case

$$\widehat{D}_\mu \theta ^{1,2}=(_\mu +\frac{1}{4}\omega _{\sigma \lambda \mu }\mathrm{\Gamma }^{\sigma \lambda })\theta ^{1,2}\frac{1}{83!}F_{\sigma \nu \lambda }\mathrm{\Gamma }^{\sigma \nu \lambda }\mathrm{\Gamma }_\mu \theta ^{2,1}.$$

5.1. Light-cone gauge GS action is quadratic in fermions for generic pp-wave background

The form of the covariant GS action in a generic type II supergravity background is very complicated, containing terms of all possible powers in the two 10-d MW spinor variables $`\theta ^I`$ which come out of the component expansions of the superfields entering the superspace form of the action . For certain backgrounds, the action written in a special $`\kappa `$-symmetry gauge may become quartic in fermions (as is the case for the $`AdS_5\times S^5`$ action in the light-cone gauge , see also ). A particularly simple case is that of the homogeneous plane-wave backgrounds  – here the light-cone gauge GS action turns out to be quadratic in fermions \[5\].

Below we shall prove that this is true also for generic inhomogeneous ($`R\mathrm{const},F_p\mathrm{const}`$) pp-wave backgrounds with the metric admitting a covariantly constant null Killing vector (i.e., for example, (2.1)) and the R-R or NS-NS p-form strengths having the “null” structure (2.1). The key property we will use is that the curvature and the p-form strengths do not have lower $`v`$-components and do not depend on $`v`$. Another important point is that the curved-space GS action (which is a “supersymmetrization” of the standard bosonic sigma model action) is quadratic in 2-d derivatives $`_a`$. This implies that generic fermionic terms can only be of the following 3 types

$$L_1=D^nR\mathrm{}D^kF\mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta X,L_2=D^nR\mathrm{}D^kF\mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta XX,$$

$$L_3=D^nR\mathrm{}D^kF\mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \mathrm{}\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta \overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta ,$$

where $`X`$ are the bosonic coordinates $`X^\mu =(u,v,x^i)`$, and dots between $`\overline{\theta }`$ and $`\theta `$ stand for products of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$-matrices.

To get a non-zero result from a particular term after imposing the light-cone gauge condition $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^u\theta =0`$ each $`\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta `$ factor in (5.1) must have the form $`\overline{\theta }\mathrm{\Gamma }^v\mathrm{\Gamma }^{i_1}\mathrm{}\mathrm{\Gamma }^{i_n}\theta `$. Since the background-dependent factor $`D^nR\mathrm{}D^kF`$ cannot have lower $`v`$-indices, each $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^v`$ must be accompanied by $`X^uu`$. That immediately implies that all $`L_3`$-terms in (5.1) must vanish, while $`L_1`$ must be quadratic and $`L_2`$ – at most quartic in $`\theta `$. In addition, all non-trivial $`D^nR\mathrm{}D^kF`$ factors must contain at least one lower $`u`$-index which is to be contracted with either $`X^u`$ or some $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^u`$ in the fermionic factor; in the latter case, such term vanishes.19 More precisely, $`X^u`$ may be also contracted with $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_u`$ between $`\overline{\theta }`$ and $`\theta `$ but, since $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^u\mathrm{\Gamma }_u=2`$ when acting on fermions subject to the light-cone gauge condition, this leads to an equivalent conclusion.

This implies the vanishing of all “non-flat” terms in $`L_1`$ and quartic fermionic terms in $`L_2`$, and thus leaves us with the standard flat-space GS term $`L_1=u\overline{\theta }\mathrm{\Gamma }^v\theta `$ as well as with the following candidates for the non-vanishing quadratic fermionic terms

$$L_2=D_{i_1}\mathrm{}D_{i_m}F_{uj_1\mathrm{}j_{p1}}u\overline{\theta }\mathrm{\Gamma }^v\mathrm{\Gamma }^{i_1}\mathrm{}\mathrm{\Gamma }^{j_{p1}}\theta .$$

Furthermore, the only term of that type that can actually appear in the GS action should contain no covariant derivatives acting on $`F_p`$ – each covariant derivative would be accompanied by an extra $`\overline{\theta }\mathrm{}\theta `$ factor. Indeed, this follows simply from dimensional considerations: if $`X`$ has dimension of length $`l`$ (e.g., $`\sqrt{\alpha ^{}})`$, then $`\theta `$ has dimension $`l^{1/2}`$, the metric and $`(p1)`$-form potentials are dimensionless, and thus $`D_\mu `$ and $`F_{\mu _1\mathrm{}\mu _p}`$ have dimensions $`l^1`$ (while $`R_{\mu \nu \lambda \rho }`$ – dimension $`l^2`$).

As a result, we arrive at the same form of the action as in the case of the constant null R-R flux \[5,,7,,8\]: the only non-trivial coupling to the background field strength is through the generalized covariant derivative that enters the gravitino supersymmetry transformation rule, i.e. (5.1) (with other p-form terms and the dilaton $`e^\varphi `$ factors included in general ).

To summarize, the above argument allows one to determine the form of the light-cone gauge GS action for any inhomogeneous R-R pp-wave background, in particular, for the $`F_5`$-form background in . The general structure of the GS action corresponding to the metric (2.1) supported by a R-R background $`F_p(x)`$ of the form (2.1), which solves the supergravity equations of motion (i.e. $`R_{uu}F_u\mathrm{}F_u\mathrm{},_iF^{iu\mathrm{}}=0`$), written in the light-cone gauge (5.1) is thus (ignoring explicit value of the numerical normalization factor $`c_p`$ in the last term)

$$L=_+x_i_{}x_i+\mathrm{m}^2K(x)+i\theta ^1\mathrm{\Gamma }^v_{}\theta ^1+i\theta ^2\mathrm{\Gamma }^v_+\theta ^2+i\mathrm{m}c_pF_{ui_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}(x)\theta ^1\mathrm{\Gamma }^v\mathrm{\Gamma }^{i_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}\theta ^2.$$

5.2. UV finiteness of the light-cone GS theory

Viewing (5.1) as a 2-d field theory, it is natural to assign 2-d length dimensions to $`\tau `$ and $`\sigma `$ and thus to assume that other dimensions are $`[x]=0,[\theta ]=1/2,[\mathrm{m}]=1`$. Then $`K(x)`$ and $`F_p(x)`$ are dimensionless, and dimensional analysis implies that the only possible logarithmically20 Trivial quadratic divergences cancel because of equal total numbers of bosons and fermions. divergent $`l`$-loop counterterms in this theory should be proportional to $`\mathrm{m}^2`$. Therefore, they must be linear in derivatives of $`K`$ and quadratic in derivatives of $`F_p`$, i.e.

$$\mathrm{\Delta }L^{(l)}=\mathrm{m}^2\left[a_l^{2l}K(x)+b_l^{l1}F_{ui_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}(x)^{l1}F_{ui_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}(x)\right],l=1,2,\mathrm{},$$

where $`^{l1}`$ stands for $`_{j_1}\mathrm{}_{j_{l1}}`$, etc. These are the same counterterms as expected (2.1),(2.1) on the general grounds in the covariant theory before the light-cone gauge fixing (note that here $`R_{uiuj}=\frac{1}{2}_i_jK`$ and $`\mathrm{m}=_\pm u`$). The coefficients in (5.1) are such that the 1-loop divergences cancel (due to the relation between $`K`$ and $`F_p`$ as in (2.1),(2.1)). Denoting by $`G(\xi \xi ^{})`$ the propagator of the 2-d bosons $`x_i(\xi )`$ ($`\xi ^a=(\tau ,\sigma )`$), the propagators of the fermions $`\theta _L`$ and $`\theta _R`$ are then $`_+G(\xi \xi ^{})`$ and $`_{}G(\xi \xi ^{})`$, and thus the coefficients in (5.1) are

$$a_ld^2\xi [G(\xi \xi ^{})]_{\xi \xi ^{}}^l,b_ld^2\xi d^2\xi ^{}[G(\xi \xi ^{})]^{l1}_+G(\xi \xi ^{})_{}G(\xi \xi ^{}).$$

Integrating by parts in the expression for $`b_l`$ we can transform it to the same form as $`a_l`$: $`b_ld^2\xi d^2\xi ^{}[G(\xi \xi ^{})]^l_+_{}G(\xi \xi ^{})d^2\xi [G(\xi \xi ^{})]_{\xi \xi ^{}}^l`$. Since $`_{i_1}F_{ui_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}=0,^2F_{ui_1\mathrm{}i_{p1}}=0`$ the cancellation seen at 1-loop order should continue at higher loops.21 In a particular (e.g. dimensional) regularization scheme all higher tadpoles $`a_l,l>2,`$ can be set equal to zero (they lead only to higher than first powers of logarithm of the UV cutoff and thus can be ignored). In the case when the theory has extended 2-d supersymmetry the cancellation of the two contributions in (5.1) can be understood as a consequence of non-renormalization of the chiral superpotential. This is what happens, e.g., in the (2,2) supersymmetric model of  where the bosonic potential is $`|_iW|^2`$ and the Yukawa coupling matrix is $`_i_jW`$.

This conclusion is of course in agreement with the general finiteness argument given in section 2.2. As a result, the light-cone gauge theory is UV finite (but its scale invariance explicitly broken by the presence of the “mass” parameter $`\mathrm{m}`$).

5.3. Explicit form of the light-cone GS action for the R-R 3-form pp-wave background

Let us now return to the specific case of our interest, namely, the background (2.1),(2.1) with $`H_3`$ replaced by $`F_3`$. As in , we shall keep the free-theory notation $`\theta ^1\theta _L`$, $`\theta ^2\theta _R`$. Then the corresponding light-cone gauge GS Lagrangian is given by the sum of the following bosonic and fermionic parts (cf. (4.1),(4.1),(5.1))22 We follow the spinor notation of , i.e. switch to the 16-component notation for the spinors, with $`\gamma ^\mu `$ being 16-component real and symmetric matrices which replace 32-component matrices $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^\mu `$.

$$L_B=_+x_i_{}x_i\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2b_m^2(x)+_+y_m_{}y_m,$$

$$L_F=i\theta _R\gamma ^v_+\theta _R+i\theta _L\gamma ^v_{}\theta _L\frac{1}{4}i\mathrm{m}_jb_m(x)\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{jm}\theta _R.$$

As usual, we rescaled the fermions by power of $`p^u`$. For comparison, the fermionic term in the light-cone GS Lagrangian for the NS-NS background (2.1) is (cf. its RNS form in (4.1))

$$L_F=i\theta _R\gamma ^v_+\theta _R+i\theta _L\gamma ^v_{}\theta _L\frac{1}{4}i\mathrm{m}_jb_m(x)(\theta _R\gamma ^v\gamma ^{jm}\theta _R\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{jm}\theta _L).$$

Here $`b_m`$ is any harmonic function. The background has residual space-time supersymmetry (so that (5.1) has global fermionic symmetry $`\theta \theta +ϵ`$) provided $`b_m`$ is such that eq. (2.1) has non-trivial solutions. As we have mentioned in section 2.3, the absence of supersymmetries with $`\mathrm{\Gamma }^uϵ0`$ for $`_i_jb_m0`$ implies that in contrast to the case of constant $`F_3`$ (i.e. linear $`b_m`$ ) background and the non-constant $`F_5`$ case in , here the light-cone gauge GS model (5.1),(5.1) will not have an additional linearly realized 2-d supersymmetry.

Let us specify now to the case of the R-R background parametrized by an arbitrary holomorphic function, i.e. to the “S-dual” of the $`n=1`$ background (3.1)–(3.1). According to the discussion in sect. 3.2, this background, like its NS-NS counterpart, should be preserving 8 supersymmetries. Written in complex notation, the corresponding light-cone GS Lagrangian takes the following form (cf. (4.1), (5.1),(3.1); here we use the notation $`z_1z`$, $`_z\eta \eta ^{}`$)

$$L_B=_+z_{}z\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2|\eta (z)|^2+_+z_\alpha _{}z_\alpha ^{},$$

$$L_F=i\theta _R\gamma ^v_+\theta _R+i\theta _L\gamma ^v_{}\theta _L\frac{1}{2}i\mathrm{m}\mathrm{Re}(\eta ^{})\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{12}\widehat{P}\theta _R+\frac{1}{2}i\mathrm{m}\mathrm{Im}(\eta ^{})\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{14}\widehat{P}\theta _R.$$

We have used (3.1), and introduced

$$\widehat{P}\frac{1}{2}(1+\gamma ^{1234}),$$

which is the same projector as appearing in eq. (3.1). By squaring the Yukawa coupling matrix in (5.1) it is easy to check that the number of interacting real fermions is 4. This does not match the number (two) of interacting real scalars $`z=x_1+ix_3`$ – as expected, the model we got can not be 2-d supersymmetric.

Explicitly, by choosing an appropriate representation of the $`\gamma `$-matrices (see, e.g., section 5.2 in ), the light-cone gauge condition $`\gamma ^u\theta _{L,R}=0`$ can be solved in terms of $`8+8`$ independent real fermions $`S_{L,R}`$. Then $`4+4`$ of the fermions will be interacting and $`4+4`$ will be massless (the latter are the ones which are annihilated by $`\widehat{P}`$). By further specifying the $`\gamma `$-matrix representation, the part of the Lagrangian (5.1),(5.1) describing the system of interacting bosons and fermions can be written as

$$L_{int}=_+z_{}z^{}\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2\eta (z)\eta ^{}(z^{})+i\psi _{kR}^{}_+\psi _{kR}+i\psi _{kL}^{}_{}\psi _{kL}$$

$$+\frac{i}{2}\mathrm{m}[\eta ^{}(z)\psi _{kL}\psi _{kR}+\eta ^{}{}_{}{}^{}(z^{})\psi _{kL}^{}\psi _{kR}^{}].$$

Here $`\psi _{1L,R}`$ and $`\psi _{2L,R}`$ are two complex combinations of $`4+4`$ components of $`S_{L,R}`$, and the sum over $`k=1,2`$ is implied.23 This can be shown, e.g., by using 4 complex combinations $`\widehat{\gamma }_i`$ of $`\gamma `$-matrices as in  and writing $`S=\psi _i\widehat{\gamma }^iϵ_0+c.c.`$, where $`ϵ_0`$ is a constant spinor satisfying $`\widehat{\gamma }_iϵ_0=0`$.

This model is very similar to the (2,2) supersymmetric model $`L_{(2,2)}=d^4\vartheta \mathrm{\Phi }^{}\mathrm{\Phi }+d^2\vartheta W(\mathrm{\Phi })+c.c.,`$ where $`\mathrm{\Phi }=z+\vartheta _1\psi _L+\vartheta _2\psi _R+\mathrm{}`$ and the superpotential $`W(z)`$ is related to an arbitrary function $`\eta (z)`$ by $`W^{}=\eta `$. Indeed, written in components $`L_{(2,2)}`$ has the same bosonic part as (5.1) and similar Yukawa terms, but just one instead of two pair of complex fermions $`\psi _L,\psi _R`$, i.e.

$$L_{(2,2)}=_+z_{}z^{}\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2\eta (z)\eta ^{}(z^{})+i\psi _R^{}_+\psi _R+i\psi _L^{}_{}\psi _L$$

$$+\frac{i}{\sqrt{2}}\mathrm{m}[\eta ^{}(z)\psi _L\psi _R+\eta ^{}{}_{}{}^{}(z^{})\psi _L^{}\psi _R^{}].$$

Remarkably, both theories (5.1) and (5.1) are UV finite: the mismatch in the number of interacting fermions is compensated by different coefficients in front of the Yukawa coupling terms.24 In fact, any model with one complex scalar field and $`K`$ species of fermions (generalising the $`K=1`$ (5.1) and $`K=2`$ (5.1) models) with the Yukawa coupling $`\frac{i}{\sqrt{2K}}\mathrm{m}[\eta ^{}(z)\psi _{kL}\psi _{kR}+\eta ^{}{}_{}{}^{}(z^{})\psi _{kL}^{}\psi _{kR}^{}]`$ ($`k=1,\mathrm{},K`$) is also UV finite. The cancellation of divergences can be readily checked by repeating the argument given in section 5.2 (note that only single fermionic loop may contribute to the divergences). As a quick check of numerical coefficients one may consider the case of $`\eta (z)=z`$ and explicitly integrate out $`\psi _L^{}`$ and $`\psi _R^{}`$ in the path integral, getting a second-derivative action for $`\psi _L`$ and $`\psi _R`$, whose contribution cancels the bosonic action contribution.

The (2,2) supersymmetric model (5.1) was found in  to be a special case of the light-cone GS action for a particular pp-wave background supported by a nonconstant $`F_5`$-field. The difference between (5.1) and our model (5.1) corresponding to the $`F_3`$-background is not unexpected, given that the GS fermionic couplings in (5.1) corresponding to the two different exact string solutions – a background with R-R $`F_3`$ strength and a background with R-R $`F_5`$ strength supporting the same pp-wave metric – have different $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$-matrix structure.

While the model (5.1) does not have 2-d supersymmetry,25 In particular, the vacuum energy on the cylinder does not vanish. In the 1-loop approximation: $`E_1=_{n=1}^{\mathrm{}}\left(6n+2\sqrt{n^2+M^2}4n4\sqrt{n^2+\frac{1}{2}M^2}\right)`$, where $`M^2=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2|\eta ^{}(z_0)|^2`$ ($`z_0`$=const). This is to be compared to $`E_1=_{n=1}^{\mathrm{}}\left(6n+2\sqrt{n^2+M^2}6n2\sqrt{n^2+M^2}\right)=0`$ in the supersymmetric model (5.1). the two models are very similar, representing two different UV finite fermionic extensions of the same interacting bosonic theory with potential $`V=\mathrm{m}^2|\eta (z)|^2`$. For the special choices of $`\eta (z)`$ for which the bosonic theory (5.1) and its 2-d supersymmetric version (5.1) are integrable, the same integrability property is likely to be shared also by the theory (5.1).

With this motivation in mind we discuss in the next section two examples of the holomorphic functions $`\eta (z)`$ which correspond to integrable models. As a preparation for the study of string spectrum of these models we shall make some remarks on the solutions of the Laplace equation in the corresponding metrics.

6. Examples related to integrable models

Let us consider some examples of the R-R light-cone gauge models parametrized by holomorphic functions in the case of the $`n=1`$ model (5.1),(5.1), where interaction terms depend on only one complex coordinate field $`z_1z`$. An arbitrary holomorphic function $`\eta (z)`$ which enters (5.1),(5.1) or (5.1) can be chosen, as in , to represent an integrable 2-d theory. We shall discuss two examples of $`\eta (z)`$ for which the corresponding (2,2) supersymmetric theories (5.1) are the $`N=2`$ super sine-Gordon model  and the $`N=2`$ super Liouville model . Since the bosonic parts of (5.1) and (5.1) are the same, these examples are of interest also in the non-supersymmetric case of the model (5.1).

6.1. $`N=2`$ super Sine-Gordon case

Choosing $`\eta (z)`$ as ($`z=x_1+ix_3`$$`\omega `$=real)

$$\eta (z)=\mathrm{sin}\omega z,\mathrm{i}.\mathrm{e}.\eta =\mathrm{sin}\omega x_1\mathrm{cosh}\omega x_3+i\mathrm{cos}\omega x_1\mathrm{sinh}\omega x_3,$$

the bosonic part of the GS Lagrangian (5.1),(5.1) becomes the same as the bosonic part of the $`N=2`$ super sine-Gordon model (5.1).

To get some elementary information about states of this theory which may be useful for future studies, here we shall determine the form of the simplest massless scalar vertex operator (i.e. the effective masses of scalar states in the supergravity part of the string spectrum). The discussion below applies also to the case of the model of  corresponding to the same pp-wave metric (2.1) supported not by the $`F_3`$ but by an $`F_5`$ background.

Let us consider a scalar fluctuation $`\mathrm{\Psi }`$ belonging to the massless supergravity multiplet, which obeys the curved-space Klein-Gordon equation.26 In general, the scalar anomalous dimension operator ($`D^2+\mathrm{}`$) that appears in the equation for the vertex operator may receive $`\alpha ^{}`$-corrections (see, e.g., \[35,,36\] and refs. there). For example, for the “null” NS-NS background in question (2.1),(2.1) in the bosonic string case one would get corrections like $`H^{\mu \alpha \beta }H_{\alpha \beta }^\nu D_\mu D_\nu =2(_ib_m)^2_v^2`$, etc. However, in the superstring case such corrections are likely to vanish in an appropriate scheme.  Using eq. (3.1), we get

$$_\mu (\sqrt{G}G^{\mu \nu }_\nu )\mathrm{\Psi }=\left[4_u_v4K(z,z^{})_v^2+_i^2\right]\mathrm{\Psi }=0.$$

For the $`N=2`$ sine-Gordon model (6.1) $`K`$ (which is also the bosonic potential in 2-d model) is given by

$$K=\frac{1}{2}|\mathrm{sin}(\omega z)|^2=\frac{1}{4}\left[\mathrm{cosh}(2\omega x_3)\mathrm{cos}(2\omega x_1)\right].$$

The general solution of (6.1) can be obtained as a linear combination of the waves

$$\mathrm{\Psi }=e^{ip_uu+ip_vv+ip_sx_s}f(x_1)g(x_3),$$

where $`x_s`$ stand for the remaining free coordinates, and $`f`$ and $`g`$ satisfy

$$f^{\prime \prime }(x_1)+\left[a+p_v^2\mathrm{cos}(2\omega x_1)\right]f=0,$$

$$g^{\prime \prime }(x_3)+\left[ep_v^2\mathrm{cosh}(2\omega x_3)\right]g=0,$$

$$4p_up_v+p_s^2+a+e=0.$$

Eq. (6.1) is the well-known Schrödinger equation for the quantum pendulum, and its general solution is expressed in terms of Mathieu functions. If $`x_1`$ is non-compact then the parameter $`a`$ takes continuous values. When $`x_1`$ is compact and has period $`x_1=x_1+2\pi /\omega `$, there is a discrete spectrum of “Kaluza-Klein” momentum modes. Since the vertex operator must be a single-valued function of $`x_1`$, the Mathieu functions which are solutions of (6.1) should be $`2\pi /\omega `$ periodic in $`x_1`$. This is the case for certain values of $`a`$ – the Mathieu characteristic eigenvalues – which thus determine the momentum modes in this sector.

The second equation (6.1) for $`g(x_3)`$ describes bound states. Its general solution is also expressed in terms of Mathieu functions (the associated Mathieu functions of the first kind). It is easy to find the energy eigenvalues using the WKB approximation. The WKB formula gives

$$I2_0^{x_0}𝑑x\sqrt{ep_v^2\mathrm{cosh}(2\omega x)}=(n+\frac{1}{2})\pi ,x_0\frac{1}{2\omega }\mathrm{arccosh}\frac{e}{p_v^2}.$$

The integral is expressed in terms of an elliptic function,

$$I=2i\frac{\sqrt{ep_v^2}}{\omega }(i\omega x_0,\mu ),\mu \frac{2p_v^2}{ep_v^2}.$$

For $`ep_v^2`$, we can approximate (6.1) by

$$I\frac{\sqrt{e}}{w}\mathrm{log}\frac{e}{p_v^2}(n+\frac{1}{2})\pi .$$

This determines the eigenvalues $`e=e_n`$ for large $`n`$.

The light-cone energy, i.e. the value of the light-cone Hamiltonian on the corresponding supergravity (i.e. “massless” string) states is then given by

$$H=p_u=\frac{p_s^2}{4p_v}+\frac{1}{4p_v}(a+e_n).$$

As was noted above, in the case of compact $`x_1=x_1+\frac{2\pi }{\omega }`$, the parameter $`a`$ takes a discrete set of values $`a=a_r`$ for which the Mathieu equation (6.1) admits periodic solutions. The energy of the physical states in this sector is then given by (6.1) with $`aa_r`$, i.e. is parametrized in terms of the transverse momentum $`p_s`$, and two integer numbers $`r`$ and $`n`$, i.e. $`H=H(p_s,r,n)`$.

6.2. $`N=2`$ super Liouville case

The super Liouville model was studied in the past, e.g., in the context of non-critical string theory . The pp-wave framework of  and the present paper allows one to embed a model with a Liouville potential into string theory as a light-cone gauge theory corresponding to an exact string solution with constant dilaton field.

The super Liouville model is obtained by choosing $`\eta (z)`$ as ($`z=x_1+ix_3`$, $`\beta `$=real)

$$\eta (z)=e^{\beta z},\mathrm{i}.\mathrm{e}.\eta =e^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{cos}\beta x_3+ie^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{sin}\beta x_3,K=\frac{1}{2}e^{2\beta x_1}.$$

One can also get Toda-type potentials by using more general models of section 3 with suitably chosen holomorphic functions $`\eta _a`$.

In the case of the NS-NS background the bosonic part of the corresponding covariant Lagrangian (4.1) takes the following explicit form

$$L=_+u_{}v\frac{1}{2}e^{2\beta x_1}_+u_{}u+_+x_1_{}x_1+_+x_3_{}x_3+_+x_s_{}x_s$$

$$+e^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{cos}\beta x_3(_+u_{}x_2_+x_2_{}u)e^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{sin}\beta x_3(_+u_{}x_4_+x_4_{}u),$$

where $`x_s`$ stand for the remaining free bosonic coordinates.

In the R-R case, the light-cone GS Lagrangian is given by (5.1), (5.1) (or by (5.1))

$$L_B=_+x_1_{}x_1\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{m}^2e^{2\beta x_1}+_+x_3_{}x_3+_+x_s_{}x_s,$$

$$L_F=i\theta _R\gamma ^v_+\theta _R+i\theta _L\gamma ^v_{}\theta _L$$

$$\frac{1}{2}i\mathrm{m}e^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{cos}\beta x_3\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{12}\widehat{P}\theta _R+\frac{1}{2}i\mathrm{m}e^{\beta x_1}\mathrm{sin}\beta x_3\theta _L\gamma ^v\gamma ^{14}\widehat{P}\theta _R.$$

According to the discussion in section 5, the fermion couplings here are different (cf. (5.1) and (5.1)) from those of the $`N=2`$ super Liouville model, which itself can be obtained from the pp-wave background with $`F_5`$-field of .

As in the sine-Gordon case, one gets two different models, depending on whether $`x_1`$ is compact or non-compact. In the case of compact $`x_1`$, the semi-classical regime of the Liouville model corresponds to large radius, whereas the quantum regime corresponds to small radius. In the later regime, as was pointed out in , a more convenient description is in terms of a mirror theory. In the case of the $`N=2`$ sine-Gordon theory, the mirror is a deformed $`CP^1`$ model, and it was argued in  that the mirror background cannot be a solution of supergravity as massive string modes are apparently excited. In the case of the $`N=2`$ Liouville theory the mirror was shown  to be equivalent to the $`SL(2,R)/U(1)`$ Kazama-Suzuki model, which is a supersymmetric generalization of the 2d black hole model. It may be that in the super Liouville case the identification of a string background corresponding to the mirror theory is more direct.

Let us now follow section 6.1 and consider the form of the massless scalar vertex operator in the $`N=2`$ super Liouville theory case. The vertex operator is again given by eq. (6.1), now with $`g(x_3)=e^{ip_3x_3}`$, and with $`f(x_1)`$ determined by the following differential equation

$$f^{\prime \prime }+\left(\nu ^2\beta ^22p_v^2e^{2\beta x_1}\right)f=0,\nu ^2\beta ^2=(p_s^2+4p_up_v).$$

The general normalisable solution is given in terms of the Bessel functions $`I_\nu `$

$$f(x_1)=i\left[I_{i\nu }(ce^{\beta x_1})I_{i\nu }(ce^{\beta x_1})\right],c=\sqrt{2}\frac{p_v}{\beta }.$$

The parameter $`\nu `$ takes continuous real values and represents momentum of the incoming/outgoing wave at $`x\mathrm{}`$. At $`x\mathrm{}`$, the wave is suppressed exponentially due to the Liouville potential. The light-cone energy of this state is thus

$$H=p_u=\frac{1}{4p_v}(p_s^2+\nu ^2\beta ^2).$$

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to J. Maldacena and R. Metsaev for important discussions. We also thank D. Freedman and C. Hull for helpful comments. We would like to thank the Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the Aspen Center for Physics for their hospitality while parts of this work were done. The work of A.A.T. was supported in part by the grants DOE DE-FG02-91ER40690, PPARC SPG 00613, INTAS 99-1590 and by the Royal Society Wolfson research merit award.

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text:
# Structural changes in block copolymers: coupling of electric field and mobile ions

(26/7/2002)

## Abstract

We consider the coupling between an external electric field and dissociated ions embedded in anisotropic polarizable media such as block copolymers. We argue that the presence of such ions can induce strong morphological changes and even lead to a structural phase transition. We investigate, in particular, diblock copolymers in the body centered cubic (bcc) phase. In pure dielectric materials (no free charges), a dielectric breakdown is expected to occur for large enough electric fields, preempting any structural phase transition. On the other hand, dissociated ions can induce a phase transition for fields of about $`10`$ V/$`\mu `$m or even lower. This transition is from an insulator state, where charges are preferentially localized inside bcc spherical domains, to a conducting state where charges can move along the long axis of oriented cylinders (forming a hexagonal phase). The cylinders diameter is small and is determined by the volume fraction of the minority copolymer component. The strength of this mechanism can be tuned by controlling the amount of free ions present as is observed by our experiments. These theoretical predictions support recent experimental findings on the bcc to hexagonal phase transition in copolymer systems.

Designed control of material properties in the sub-micrometer range has drawn considerable interest in recent years because of its importance in applications as well as in basic research. As possible applications we mention waveguides, photonic band gap materials VBSN01  and dielectric mirrors FT98 . Recent studies have highlighted the role of external electric fields in creating well aligned structures. An electric field was used to create an instability in polymer films, thus replicating the pattern of a master template 1 . In block copolymers (composed of several chemically distinct polymer sequences connected together by covalent bonds), electric fields are effective in aligning micro-domains in a desired direction, as has been shown experimentally AH94 ; AH93  and theoretically AH93 ; PW99 ; AM01 ; TA02 . For example, removal of one of the two components of a copolymer film is used to produce anti-reflection coatings for optical surfaces WS99 . Furthermore, diblock copolymers, such as polystyrene (PS)/polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in its hexagonal phase was used as a starting point to produce an array of long, aligned and conducting nano-wires RS00 .

A well known method to cause orientation or structural changes in heterogeneous dielectric media is based on the “dielectric mechanism”. As an example, we consider a material composed of two types of micro-domains having dielectric constants, $`\epsilon _A`$ and $`\epsilon _B`$, respectively, and placed in an external electric field $`𝐄`$. An electrostatic energy penalty will be paid each time that a dielectric interface is oriented perpendicular to the field TA02 ; Onuki95 ; TDR00 . Thus, a state where $`\mathbf{}\epsilon `$ is perpendicular to $`𝐄`$ is favored. This energy cost is proportional to $`(\epsilon _A\epsilon _B)^2E^2`$, and is enhanced when the difference in polarizabilities is large. A real concern is whether this relatively weak effect (2nd order in $`E`$) requires high fields exceeding the typical values for dielectric breakdown of the entire film. This breakdown occurs for fields $`100`$ V/$`\mu `$m in thick films of $`1`$-$`3`$ mm, but is expected to be much smaller for thin films as considered here UPSH .

So far, little attention was given to the existence of free (mobile) ions inside dielectric copolymer materials. These ions are found in large amount because during anionic polymerization, the reaction is initiated by an organometallic reagent (usually butyl lithium). When monomers are eventually exhausted, each carbonionic chain neutralized with water gives rise to one neutral polymer chain and one metal hydroxide unit (usually LiOH). The use of organolithic reagents and catalysts increases even further the total amount of ions Navarro98 .

Based on the importance of free ion coupling to external $`E`$ fields, we propose an alternative mechanism to explain morphological changes and even phase transitions in block copolymers. Similar considerations can apply in general to any highly polarizable heterogeneous media. The new driving force is the free energy gain of free charges (dissociated ions) as they move upstream or downstream the electrostatic potential (depending on their sign). The fields needed to drive morphological changes are typically much smaller than the fields resulting from the dielectric mechanism and their value is well below dielectric breakdown threshold. Moreover, tuning the free ion concentration offers a convenient control of these morphological changes.

Although our approach is general, we concentrate here on PS/PMMA diblock copolymers used by several experimental groups RS00 . We show that with the alternative “free ions mechanism” there is a phase transition from a body centered cubic (bcc) lattice of spherical domains to a hexagonal array of cylinders of small diameter, in agreement with recent experimental findings of Russell and co-workers Rprivate02 . Because of the ionic coupling with an external $`E`$ field, the cylinder alignment is long range as is important in many of the aforementioned applications.

In an A/B diblock copolymer melt the macroscopic phase separation occurring for two A/B immiscible chains (or blocks) is hindered because of chain connectivity. Instead, the system undergoes a mesoscopic phase separation, with typical length scales of dozens of nanometers. In the bulk, phase behavior is by now fairly well understood Leibler80 ; OK86  and was found to consist of several spatially modulated phases of different symmetry. The Flory parameter $`\chi T^1`$ characterizes the repulsion between the blocks and $`f=N_A/N`$ is the fraction of A monomers in a copolymer chain of $`N=N_A+N_B`$ monomers. The phase behavior (in mean-field theory) is given by $`f`$ and the combined $`N\chi `$ parameter. For small values of $`N\chi `$ (high temperature) the system is in a mixed, disordered, phase. Lowering the temperature or equivalently raising $`N\chi `$ above $`N\chi _c10.5`$ results in a weak first-order phase-transition to a lamellar phase for symmetric melts ($`f=\frac{1}{2}`$). Increase of $`|f\frac{1}{2}|`$ changes the spontaneous curvature and induces a transition to a hexagonal phase of cylinders, a gyroid phase of cubic symmetry or a bcc lattice of spherical domains.

The copolymer bulk free energy $`F_b`$ an be written as a functional of the local order parameter $`\varphi (𝐫)=\varphi _A(𝐫)f`$. This order parameter denotes the deviation of the A monomer volume fraction from its average value $`\varphi _A=f`$, and the free energy expression is:

$`{\displaystyle \frac{Nb^3F_b[\varphi ]}{k_BT}}=`$ (1)
$`{\displaystyle \mathrm{d}^3r\left\{\frac{1}{2}\tau \varphi ^2+\frac{1}{2}h\left(q_0^2\varphi +^2\varphi \right)^2+\frac{1}{6}\mathrm{\Lambda }\varphi ^3+\frac{u}{24}\varphi ^4\right\}}`$
This and similar (mean-field) free energy forms have been used extensively in the past to describe spatially modulated phases Swift77 ; Andelman95  such as weakly segregated diblock copolymers TA02 ; Leibler80 ; OK86 ; FH87 ; TA01 , Langmuir films ABJ84  and magnetic (garnet) films GD82 . In Eq. (1), $`\tau N(\chi _c\chi )`$ is the reduced temperature and $`q_0R_g^1`$ is the first wavenumber which becomes stable upon transition to the lamellar phase. The lattice periodicity $`d_0=2\pi /q_0`$ is about $`10`$ nanometers, $`b`$ is Kuhn segment length, $`hR_g^4`$ and the constants $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ and $`u`$ are the 3-point and 4-point vertex functions calculated by Leibler Leibler80  in the weak segregation limit. They depend on $`f`$ and $`\tau `$.

Contrary to lamellar or hexagonal phases where orientation by electric fields is related to a preferred spatial orientation AH94 ; AH93 ; PW99 ; AM01 ; TA02 ; WS99 ; RS00 ; Onuki95 ; TDR00 , a bcc lattice of spheres is isotropic and no orientation is possible. On the other hand, strong enough electric fields will elongate the spheres and eventually will cause a morphological changes of the bcc phase into a hexagonal array of cylinders.

Let us consider first a PS-PMMA copolymer melt in the absence of external $`E`$ field. The parameters $`N\chi `$ and $`f`$ are chosen such that the thermodynamically stable phase is a bcc stack of PMMA spheres embedded in a PS matrix. Within the single $`q`$-mode approximation employed throughout this paper (weak segregation limit), the order parameter $`\varphi `$ for the bcc phase is given by

$`\varphi ^{\mathrm{bcc}}(𝐫)=A_{\mathrm{bcc}}{\displaystyle \underset{n=1}{\overset{6}{}}}\mathrm{cos}(𝐪_n𝐫)`$ (2)
$`A_{\mathrm{bcc}}`$ is the amplitude of density modulations, and the six fundamental $`q`$-modes are given by

$`𝐪_{1,4}`$ $`=`$ $`q_0(1,0,1)/\sqrt{2},𝐪_{2,5}=q_0(1,1,0)/\sqrt{2}`$
$`𝐪_{3,6}`$ $`=`$ $`q_0(0,1,1)/\sqrt{2}`$ (3)
Consider now only the dielectric mechanism. We assume for simplicity that the external electric field E is applied along the $`(1,1,1)`$ direction of the lattice: $`𝐄=E(1,1,1)`$. This choice of $`𝐄`$ direction does not affect the magnitude of the critical field $`E_c`$ remark1 . As the field is turned on, the PMMA spheres elongate along the field direction, thereby reducing the component of $`\epsilon `$ along $`𝐄`$. We note that the bcc phase can be regarded as a stack of $`(1,1,1)`$ planes, each with hexagonal symmetry. For sufficiently strong fields, the electrostatic energy dominates and the system is composed of cylinders oriented along the $`(1,1,1)`$ direction with dielectric interfaces parallel to $`E`$. The order parameter can now be written as a sum of two terms. The first contains the $`q_1`$, $`q_2`$ and $`q_3`$ modes and has a hexagonal symmetry, whereas the second contains the $`q_4`$, $`q_5`$ and $`q_6`$ modes. Hence, as a function of electric field strength the order parameter $`\varphi (𝐫,𝐄)`$ is:

$`\varphi (𝐫,𝐄)=w(E){\displaystyle \underset{n=1}{\overset{3}{}}}\mathrm{cos}(𝐪_n𝐫)+g(E){\displaystyle \underset{m=4}{\overset{6}{}}}\mathrm{cos}(𝐪_m𝐫)`$ (4)
For large enough field the order parameter reduces to the hexagonal one

$$\varphi ^{\mathrm{hex}}(𝐫)=A_{\mathrm{hex}}\underset{n=1}{\overset{3}{}}\mathrm{cos}(𝐪_n𝐫)$$
(5)
where $`A_{\mathrm{hex}}`$ is the amplitude of density modulations in the hexagonal phase. Clearly, $`A_{\mathrm{hex}}`$ is the limit of $`w(E)`$ for large E-fields, while $`g(E)`$ should vanish there.

In the weak segregation regime one can expand the electrostatic free energy per unit volume in small density variations $`\varphi `$ and obtain the following form AH94 ; AH93 ; TA02 ; Onuki95 :

$`{\displaystyle \frac{Nb^3}{k_BT}}F_{\mathrm{dielec}}=\beta {\displaystyle \underset{q}{}}(\widehat{𝐪}𝐄)^2\varphi _𝐪\varphi _𝐪=\beta E^2g^2`$ (6)
where $`\beta =Nb^3(\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PS}}}\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PMMA}}})^2/(2\overline{\epsilon }k_BT)`$ AH93 , the static dielectric constants of PS and PMMA for high temperatures ($`>160^{}`$ C) are $`\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PS}}}2.5`$ and $`\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PMMA}}}6`$, respectively, and $`\overline{\epsilon }=f\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PMMA}}}+(1f)\epsilon _{_{\mathrm{PS}}}`$.

The free energy $`F_b+F_{\mathrm{el}}`$ \[Eqs. (1) and (6)\] is then minimized with respect to $`w(E)`$ and $`g(E)`$ for given parameters $`\tau `$, $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, $`u`$ and electric field $`E`$. The results of this minimization are shown in Fig. 1. When the field strength is $`E=0`$, $`w(0)=g(0)=A_{\mathrm{bcc}}`$. As $`E`$ increases from zero, $`w(E)`$ increases monotonically while $`g(E)`$ decreases monotonically. At a critical field, $`E=E_c`$, $`w(E)`$ jumps discontinuously to $`A_{\mathrm{hex}}`$, while $`g(E)`$ jumps (down) to zero. For all fields $`E>E_c`$ the system is in a state with hexagonal symmetry \[$`g(E)=0`$\].

The inter material dividing surface (IMDS) is defined as the surface where the A and B monomer densities are equal and is given by $`\varphi (𝐫)=\frac{1}{2}f`$. The IMDS is shown in Fig. 2 (a) for the bcc phase with $`E=0`$. In Fig. 2 (b) the field is slightly below $`E_c`$, $`E=0.98E_c`$, and the spheres are substantially elongated. In part (c) $`E`$ is slightly above the transition, $`E=1.02E_c`$, and the system is composed of cylinders oriented along the field direction. The value of $`E_c`$ for PS/PMMA is estimated to be quite large, $`E_c70`$ V/$`\mu `$m. It is comparable to the value for dielectric breakdown and much bigger than the reported bcc to hexagonal transition fields Rprivate02 .

In order to resolve the discrepancy between experiments and the dielectric mechanism, we now turn to calculate the free charge effect since ions are present in the BCP melt. In PMMA the ionic solvating ability is due to Li$`{}_{}{}^{+}`$O=C coordination bridges. Nonpolar polymers such as PS do not form coordination bridges of this type and preclude the dissociation of ionic pairs. Hence, dissociated charges are found mainly inside the PMMA-rich spherical domains, as is measured by Kim and Oh Kimoh00  and reconfirmed by our own experiments tobepub . We denote by $`Q`$ the total charge of dissociated ions inside each PMMA spherical domain. $`Q`$ is much smaller than the nominal amount of ions in the sphere. It should be emphasized that in contrast to the “leaky dielectric” model of Taylor and Melcher Taylor66  describing the electrohydrodynamics phenomena in conducting dielectric fluids, here there is no flow of material, but rather an elastic behavior of the polymer chains.

We carried out DC conductivity measurements at $`160^{}`$ C in pure PMMA and PS films doped with $`6.610^{14}`$ LiOH ions per m3 tobepub . In the PMMA sample, the integrated transient current after the voltage is applied indicates that the mobile (dissociated) ions constitute a fraction of $`310^5`$ of the total embedded ions. The actual fraction of dissociated pairs in the PS/PMMA block copolymer system is expected to be higher because of the high doping Kimoh00 . The hazy and strongly birefringent PS sample showed no decaying currents, indicating a negligible amount of dissociated pairs. Since each spherical domain has approximately $`6`$ PMMA chains, we deduced from the fraction $`310^5`$ mentioned above that $`Q10^3e`$. In addition, from the conductivity data and charge density estimates we calculate the Li$`+`$ mobility in PMMA to be $`\mu 4.610^5`$ m2/J sec.

In presence of the $`E`$-field, there is $`+Q`$ charge at one end of the bcc domain and $`Q`$ at the other end, creating an effective dipole. The two energy contributions are the dipole-field and dipole-dipole interactions. The first contribution is the usual dipole-field interaction. The dipole moment of each bcc domain is $`|𝐩|=2QR`$, where $`R0.2d_02`$nm is the sphere radius. The dipole-field interaction energy per unit volume in the bcc phase is

$$F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{bcc}}=4QRE/d_0^3$$
(7)
Note that this energy is linear in the field $`E`$ and in the charge $`Q`$.

In the hexagonal phase the drift distance $`\lambda `$ for dissociated ions can be very large. For an AC field of frequency $`w`$, $`\lambda `$ is given by $`\lambda =2\pi e\mu E/w`$. In a DC field ($`w=0`$) this infinite length is limited by the experimental duration (dozens of seconds) or the system size, and therefore we take $`\lambda 1`$ $`\mu `$m (which corresponds to time scales of about 1 sec). The dipole-field interaction in the hexagonal phase is

$$F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{hex}}=4Q\lambda E/d_0^3F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{bcc}}$$
(8)
The ability of the charges to delocalize and diffuse in the hexagonal phase is the driving force behind this bcc to hexagonal transition.

The dipole-dipole interaction can be divided to interaction of the charges inside the same sphere and between neighboring spheres. Inside the same domain the interactions between charges are balanced by thermal dissociation and, therefore, only affect their number $`Q`$. Dipole-dipole interaction between adjacent domains is estimated by summing up all dipoles taken to be parallel to the field. The contribution per unit volume is SK98

$$F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{d}}=\frac{10\pi }{3}\frac{(2QR)^2}{\epsilon _{\mathrm{eff}}d_0^6}$$
(9)
where $`\epsilon _{\mathrm{eff}}`$ is the effective dielectric constant of the compound material and is taken here to be just the average, $`\overline{\epsilon }`$. This free energy contribution is positive (destabilizing the bcc phase) and quadratic in the charge $`Q`$.

We now compare the total free energy difference between the bcc and hexagonal phases. The last terms calculated, $`F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{d}}`$ and $`F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{hex}}F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{bcc}}F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{hex}}`$ need to be compared to the dielectric contribution $`F_{\mathrm{dielec}}`$ and the bare polymeric difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }F=F_b[\varphi ^{\mathrm{hex}}]F_b[\varphi ^{\mathrm{bcc}}]k_BT/(200Nb^3)`$ \[see Ref. FH87  or Eqs. (1), (2) and (5)\]. The value of $`\mathrm{\Delta }F`$ can be reduced by approaching the bcc/hex phase transition boundary on the $`N\chi `$$`f`$ phase diagram. When comparing orders of magnitudes for a field $`E=6`$ V/$`\mu `$m we see that

$$\frac{F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{hex}}}{\mathrm{\Delta }F}1,\frac{F_{\mathrm{dielec}}}{\mathrm{\Delta }F}610^4,\frac{F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{d}}}{\mathrm{\Delta }F}310^5$$
(10)
Therefore, the dominant mechanism in the bcc to hexagonal transition is the interaction of ions with the external fields, and for the above parameters it is about $`10^4`$ stronger than the dielectric mechanism. Because $`F_{\mathrm{dielec}}E^2`$ \[Eq. (6)\] while $`F_{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{hex}}E`$, only at much higher $`E`$-fields the former will dominate. The dipole-dipole interaction between domains is independent on $`E`$ and is negligible.

In conclusion, we propose an alternative mechanism explaining structural changes in polarized media such as diblock copolymers. The mechanism is based on the interaction of free charges with an external field rather than on the tendency to reduce dielectric interfaces perpendicular to the field. We calculate the deformation of the bcc phase of diblock copolymers using the dielectric mechanism only, and find that the critical field for transition to a hexagonal phase is $`E_c70`$ V/$`\mu `$m. It is shown that the ions which are normally present in these materials can cause a similar structural change but with a much smaller field of order $`6`$ V/$`\mu `$m. Thus, this mechanism should be the dominant one. Moreover, the strength of this mechanism can be greatly enhanced by addition of ions. We note that there has been already some evidence that the bcc to hexagonal transition in diblock copolymers can be achieved experimentally with such small $`E`$-field Rprivate02 . It will be of interest to further investigate the effect of these free ions on other morphological changes and structural phase transitions in anisotropic polarizable media.

Acknowledgements.  We thank T. Russell for discussions and communication of his experimental results prior to publication. We thank E. Kramer and T. Thurn-Albrecht for useful comments. Partial support from the U.S.-Israel Binational Foundation (B.S.F.) under Grant 98-00429, the Israel Science Foundation founded by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities Centers of Excellence Program, and the Chateaubriand fellowship program is gratefully acknowledged.