On topological recursion for Wilson loops in N=4 SYM at strong coupling

We consider U(N) N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory and discuss how to extract the strong coupling limit of non-planar corrections to observables involving the 12-BPS Wilson loop. Our approach is based on a suitable saddle point treatment of the Eynard-Orantin topological recursion in the Gaussian matrix model. Working directly at strong coupling we avoid the usual procedure of first computing observables at finite planar coupling lambda, order by order in 1/N, and then taking the lambda >> 1 limit. In the proposed approach, matrix model multi-point resolvents take a simplified form and some structures of the genus expansion, hardly visible at low order, may be identified and rigorously proved. As a sample application, we consider the expectation value of multiple coincident circular supersymmetric Wilson loops as well as their correlator with single trace chiral operators. For these quantities we provide novel results about the structure of their genus expansion at large tension, generalising recent results in arXiv:2011.02885.

Automated summary

This paper discusses how to extract the strong coupling limit of non-planar corrections using the Eynard-Orantin topological recursion and saddle point treatment. Working directly at strong coupling simplifies the form of matrix model multi-point resolvents and allows for identification and rigorous proof of genus expansion structures. Additionally, novel results regarding the structure of multiple coincident circular supersymmetric Wilson loops and their correlator with single trace chiral operators are provided.