Diving inside holographic metals

Abstract We investigate the gravitational dual of a fermionic field theory at finite temperature and charge density in two spatial dimensions, subject to a deformation by a relevant scalar operator. This makes a (3 + 1)-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell system coupled to a free fermion fluid, known as an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Javier Carballo, Ayan K. Patra, Juan F. Pedraza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of High Energy Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP05(2025)072
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849725547775524864
author Javier Carballo
Ayan K. Patra
Juan F. Pedraza
author_facet Javier Carballo
Ayan K. Patra
Juan F. Pedraza
author_sort Javier Carballo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We investigate the gravitational dual of a fermionic field theory at finite temperature and charge density in two spatial dimensions, subject to a deformation by a relevant scalar operator. This makes a (3 + 1)-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell system coupled to a free fermion fluid, known as an electron cloud, undergo a holographic renormalization group flow. The inner (Cauchy) horizon is destroyed and the near-singularity metric instead adopts the form of a positive-p t Kasner cosmology, signaling the collapse of the Einstein-Rosen bridge. Previous studies have suggested that this collapse hinders direct probing of the singularity. Nonetheless, we propose and compute several CFT observables that characterize the interior and near-singularity geometries. These include the thermal a-function, which decays with a specific power of p t as nearly all CFT degrees of freedom are integrated out, and two-point correlators for neutral and charged operators, with the latter directly probing the singularity despite the positive-p t . We also calculate characteristic velocities related to entanglement and complexity growth in the time-evolved thermofield double state, as well as the butterfly effect indicative of operator spreading. Notably, the deformed electron cloud features a Lifshitz IR fixed point and an additional Kasner trans-IR fixed point, absent in neutral RG flows.
format Article
id doaj-art-4ea3fd0f692248d5aa97925045d44e1c
institution DOAJ
issn 1029-8479
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Journal of High Energy Physics
spelling doaj-art-4ea3fd0f692248d5aa97925045d44e1c2025-08-20T03:10:27ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792025-05-012025513510.1007/JHEP05(2025)072Diving inside holographic metalsJavier Carballo0Ayan K. Patra1Juan F. Pedraza2Mathematical Sciences and STAG Research Centre, University of SouthamptonInstituto de Física Teórica UAM/CSICInstituto de Física Teórica UAM/CSICAbstract We investigate the gravitational dual of a fermionic field theory at finite temperature and charge density in two spatial dimensions, subject to a deformation by a relevant scalar operator. This makes a (3 + 1)-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell system coupled to a free fermion fluid, known as an electron cloud, undergo a holographic renormalization group flow. The inner (Cauchy) horizon is destroyed and the near-singularity metric instead adopts the form of a positive-p t Kasner cosmology, signaling the collapse of the Einstein-Rosen bridge. Previous studies have suggested that this collapse hinders direct probing of the singularity. Nonetheless, we propose and compute several CFT observables that characterize the interior and near-singularity geometries. These include the thermal a-function, which decays with a specific power of p t as nearly all CFT degrees of freedom are integrated out, and two-point correlators for neutral and charged operators, with the latter directly probing the singularity despite the positive-p t . We also calculate characteristic velocities related to entanglement and complexity growth in the time-evolved thermofield double state, as well as the butterfly effect indicative of operator spreading. Notably, the deformed electron cloud features a Lifshitz IR fixed point and an additional Kasner trans-IR fixed point, absent in neutral RG flows.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP05(2025)072AdS-CFT CorrespondenceBlack HolesBlack Holes in String TheoryHolography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
spellingShingle Javier Carballo
Ayan K. Patra
Juan F. Pedraza
Diving inside holographic metals
Journal of High Energy Physics
AdS-CFT Correspondence
Black Holes
Black Holes in String Theory
Holography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
title Diving inside holographic metals
title_full Diving inside holographic metals
title_fullStr Diving inside holographic metals
title_full_unstemmed Diving inside holographic metals
title_short Diving inside holographic metals
title_sort diving inside holographic metals
topic AdS-CFT Correspondence
Black Holes
Black Holes in String Theory
Holography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
url https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP05(2025)072
work_keys_str_mv AT javiercarballo divinginsideholographicmetals
AT ayankpatra divinginsideholographicmetals
AT juanfpedraza divinginsideholographicmetals