Tools to Carve out Conformal Field Theories: TcCFT

Programme(s): H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
Topic(s): MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships
Call for proposal: H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
Funding Scheme: MSCA-IF-GF - Global Fellowships

Grant agreement ID: 747228

Objective
Recently a number of research efforts have been dedicated to the conformal bootstrap. The basic principle is that conformal symmetry and quantum mechanics should suffice to fix uniquely the dynamics of Conformal Field Theories (CFTs), which lie at the fixed points of the renormalisation group flow. This has led to ground-breaking results, such as the unprecedented determination of scaling dimensions in non-trivial CFTs including the celebrated Ising model in 3d. Thus far these endeavours have focused only on the simplest examples of correlation functions with low-spin operators or to supersymmetric CFTs.

The project aims at advancing the goals of the CFT bootstrap further, by developing a combination of theoretical and numerical tools to systematically apply the bootstrap to correlation functions of higher-spin operators. The long term goal of TcCFT is to apply these tools to carve out the space of non-supersymmetric CFTs. Its short term objectives of developing effective techniques to manage higher-spin operators are of interest also in a broader context, for such operators are ubiquitous in any CFT.

This proposal combines fellow's expertise on higher-spin methods with world leading experts in the bootstrap program, and a secondment which will allow to refine his programming skills needed for the computational parts of the project. The outcomes of the project will be critical in achieving a greater understanding of the landscape of quantum field theories, and with it allow to proceed to the next step of his career and obtain a tenure track position in Italy.