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# Possible ground states of D-wave condensates in isotropic space

## I Introduction

Superfluidity and superconductivity are justified on the basis of the macroscopic condensation of Bose quasi-particles. The classical Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer theory for superconductivity dates 1957. Soon after, a BCS-type transition was proposed for the Fermi system $`{}_{}{}^{3}\text{He}`$ by Anderson and Morel . Cooper pair formation was thought to occur in an $`L0`$ state, to take into account the hard core nature of $`{}_{}{}^{3}\text{He}`$ atoms interaction. The superfluid phases were actually observed , and the nature of p-wave pairing is now well established for $`{}_{}{}^{3}\text{He}`$. The theory of $`L0`$-superfluids is also relevant for “unconventional” superconductivity. The high temperature superconducting (HTS) oxides are anomalous in their non-Fermi liquid normal state properties and share with heavy fermion superconductors unconventional d-wave pairing . The underlying microscopic mechanism inducing superconductivity in these materials is still unclear and is one of today’s major challenges .

Such a situation has motivated the efforts at studying the macroscopic properties of unconventional superconductors through the Landau theory of phase transitions . Moreover, the identification of the order parameter symmetry may be considered as a preliminary task in the construction of viable models describing the attractive nature of the pairing interaction.

Direct experimental evidence of an order parameter unconventional structure lies on multiple phase transitions. The heavy fermion compounds U1-xThxBe13 display four different superconducting phases in the $`T`$-$`x`$ phase diagram and UPt3 displays three superconducting phases in a $`T`$-$`H`$ phase diagram . Furthermore, from power-law temperature behaviour of thermodynamic and transport properties (e.g. specific heat, magnetic penetration depth), a non-trivial node structure for the gap function may be inferred, compatible with high $`L`$-pairing. That is the case also for HTS oxides, for which, at present, clear proofs are lacking of the existence of more than one superconducting state.

Actually, it must be pointed out that, unlike superfluid $`{}_{}{}^{3}\text{He}`$, which is an isotropic fermion system, Bloch electrons in a superconductor crystal lattice exhibit, in general, a reduced finite symmetry; in addition, the existence of imperfections, even in the cleanest samples, can partly destroy the gap node structure at low energy. So, the very fact that the experimental observation cannot at present completely unravel the node structure of the gap function, reinforces the necessity of classifying all the possible symmetry breaking schemes.

Moreover, the role of Fermi isotropic space beyond a zero-th order approximation in phenomenological theories, is still supported by some recent studies: In HTS oxides, low symmetrical crystal fields (tetragonal and orthorombic), as well as spontaneous strain, have weak influence on the temperature of the superconducting phase transition  or on the penetration depth . This also means that low symmetry crystal fields do not directly influence condensate states.

The possible ground states of a high $`L`$ superfluid has been the object of intense investigations during the 60’s and the 70’s. ¿From the solution of the state equations, Anderson and Morel  and Mermin  identified five different phases, through the minimization of a 4-th degree Landau potential. Schakel and Bias  analyzed the problem using only group theoretical arguments. Capel and Schakel , taking advantage of the results in , computed the possible ground states of condensates driven by p-waves. They also investigated the consequences of lowering the residual symmetry resulting from the solutions of this problem by means of strong spin-orbit interactions. Since, in this case, the Cooper pair is in a $`J=2`$ state $`(S=1,L=1)`$, the order parameter is represented by a traceless symmetric tensor. The same holds true for an $`(S=0,L=2)`$ state order parameter, so those results may be directly applied to D-wave pairing. According to the authors of ref. , eleven different phases are allowed. Their analysis, however, is questionable, since time reversal symmetry cannot be neglected in the theory of condensate states and the use of a 4-th degree polynomial Landau free energy strongly limits the number of phases that would be allowed by the symmetry of the system.

Our aim in this paper is to give a definitive answer to the classification of possible symmetry breaking patterns in D-wave pairing Bose condensate, in the framework of the Landau theory of phase transitions. To this end we make use of a geometrical invariant theory approach to the problem, proposed in ref. . The strategy is to exploit a set of basic invariant polynomials of the symmetry group of the system, as fundamental variables in the description of the phase space of the system and in the minimization procedure of the free energy .

## II The orbit space approach

Let us briefly recall some basic elements of the orbit space approach . To this end, we shall denote by $`x𝐑^n`$ a vector order parameter, transforming linearly and orthogonally under the compact real symmetry group $`G`$, and by $`\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x)`$ the $`G`$-invariant free energy, expressed also in terms of state variables $`\alpha `$. The points $`x_0(\alpha )`$, where the function $`\varphi _\alpha (x)=\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x)`$ takes on its absolute minimum, correspond to the stable phase of the system, whose symmetry is determined by the isotropy subgroup, $`G_{x_0}`$, of $`G`$ at $`x_0`$. Owing to $`G`$-invariance, the stationary points of the free energy are degenerate along $`G`$-orbits. Since the isotropy subgroups of $`G`$ at points of the same orbit are conjugate in $`G`$, only the conjugate class, $`[G_{x_0}]`$, of $`G_{x_0}`$ in $`G`$, i.e. the symmetry (or orbit-type) of the orbit through $`x_0`$, is physically relevant.

The set of all $`G`$-orbits, endowed with the quotient topology and differentiable structure, forms the orbit space, $`𝐑^n/G`$, of $`G`$ and the subset of all the $`G`$-orbits with a given symmetry forms a stratum of $`𝐑^n/G`$. Phase transitions take place when, by varying the values of the $`\alpha `$’s, the point $`x_0(\alpha )`$ is shifted to an orbit lying on a different stratum. If $`\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x)`$ is a sufficiently general function of the $`\alpha `$’s, by varying these parameters, it is possible to shift $`x_0(\alpha )`$ on whichever stratum of $`𝐑^n/G`$. So, the strata are in one-to-one correspondence with the symmetry phases allowed by the $`G`$-invariance of the free energy. On the contrary, extra restrictions on the form of the free energy function, not coming from G-symmetry requirements (e.g., the assumption that the free energy is a polynomial of low degree), can limit the number of allowed phases.

Being constant along each $`G`$-orbit, the free energy may be conveniently thought of as a function defined in the orbit space of $`G`$. This fact can be formalized using some basic results of invariant theory. In fact, the G-invariant polynomial functions separate the $`G`$-orbits, meaning that, for any two distinct $`G`$-orbits, there is at least a polynomial $`G`$-invariant function assuming different values on them. Moreover, every G-invariant polynomials can be built as real polynomial functions of a finite set, $`\{p_1(x),\mathrm{},p_q(x)\}`$, of basic polynomial invariants (integrity basis of the ring of $`G`$-invariant polynomials), which need not, for general compact groups, be algebraically independent. The number of algebraically independent elements in a em minimal set of basic polynomial invariants is $`n\nu `$, where $`\nu `$ is the dimension of the generic (principal) orbits of $`G`$. Information on the number and degrees of a minimal set of basic invariants, and the degrees of the algebraic relations (syzygies) among them, can be inferred from the Mölien function of $`G`$.

Let us call $`q_0`$ the number of independent elements of the set $`\{p\}`$. The range of the orbit map, $`xp(x)=(p_1(x),\mathrm{},p_q(x))𝐑^q`$, yields a realization of the orbit space of the linear group $`G`$, as a connected semi-algebraic surface, i.e. a subset of $`𝐑^q`$, determined by algebraic equations and inequalities. The orbit space of $`G`$ is, therefore, a closed and connected region of a $`q_0`$-dimensional algebraic surface, delimited by lower dimensional semi-algebraic surfaces.

Like all semi-algebraic sets, the orbit space of $`G`$ presents a natural stratification, since it can be considered as the disjoint union of semi-algebraic subsets of various dimensions (geometrical strata), each stratum being in the border of a higher dimensional stratum, but for the highest dimensional one, which is unique (principal stratum). The connected components of the symmetry strata are in one-to-one correspondence with the geometrical strata. The symmetries of two bordering strata are related by a group subgroup relation and the lower dimensional stratum has a larger symmetry.

The orbit space can be identified with the semi-algebraic variety, $`S`$, formed by the points $`p𝐑^q`$, satisfying the following conditions i) and ii) :

* $`p`$ lies on the surface, $`Z`$, defined by the syzygies;
* the $`q\times q`$ matrix $`\widehat{P}(p)`$, defined by the relation

$$\widehat{P}_{ab}(p(x))=\underset{j=1}{\overset{n}{}}_jp_a(x)_jp_b(x),x𝐑^n$$
(1)
is positive semidefinite at $`p`$.

The relations defining the strata can be obtained as positivity and rank conditions on the matrix $`\widehat{P}(p)`$ and the minimum of $`\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x)`$ can be computed as a constrained minimum in orbit space of the function $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}(\alpha ;p)`$,

$$\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}(\alpha ;p(x))=\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x),x𝐑^n$$
(2)
or from the solutions of the equation

$$\underset{b=1}{\overset{q}{}}\widehat{P}_{ab}(p)_b\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}(\alpha ;p)=0,a=1,\mathrm{},q,$$
(3)
which is equivalent to the state equation, $`\mathrm{\Phi }(\alpha ;x)/x_j=0`$, $`j=1,\mathrm{},n`$.

## III Symmetry of the allowed D-wave condensate states in isotropic space

The formation of D-wave condensate states breaks the symmetry of the isotropic 3-dimensional space, which corresponds to the group O$`{}_{3}{}^{}`$U$`{}_{1}{}^{}\times 𝒯`$, where O3 is the complete rotation group, U1 is the group of gauge transformations and $`𝒯`$ is the group generated by the time reversal operator $`𝒯`$.

The symmetry of the allowed D-wave condensate ground states is defined by the relative values of the complex coefficients in the decomposition of the gap-function, $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$, in terms of spherical harmonics with $`L=2`$:

$$\mathrm{\Delta }(\theta ,\varphi )=\underset{m=2}{\overset{2}{}}D_mY_2^m(\theta ,\varphi )$$
(4)
The set of functions $`\{Y_2^m,Y_2^m\}`$ yields a basis of a ten-dimensional (10 D) space hosting a real representation of the symmetry group O$`{}_{3}{}^{}`$U$`{}_{1}{}^{}\times 𝒯`$. A general element, $`\gamma `$, of the group will be denoted by a triple $`\gamma =(\rho ,e^{i\varphi },ϵ)`$, where, $`\rho 𝐎_3`$, $`0\varphi <2\pi `$ and $`ϵ=1`$, or $`+1`$ according as a time reflection is involved in the transformation, or not.

The action of $`G`$ can be transferred to a real irreducible action on the 10 D vector formed by the coefficients $`\{D_2,\mathrm{},D_2,D_2^{},\mathrm{},D_2^{}\}`$. The representation of $`G`$ thus obtained can be realized in the 10 D real vector space of a couple of two independent, real, second rank, symmetric, traceless tensors, $`X_{ij}^{(1)}`$ and $`X_{ij}^{(2)}`$, $`i,j=1,2,3`$, which can be considered as the real and imaginary parts of a complex $`3\times 3`$ matrix $`\psi `$, whose elements will be written in terms of five complex coordinates, $`z_j`$:

$$z_j=x_j+ix_{5+j},j=1,\mathrm{},5;x_i𝐑,$$
(5)
$$\psi =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\begin{array}{ccc}z_2+\frac{z_5}{\sqrt{3}}& z_1& z_3\\ z_1& z_2+\frac{z_5}{\sqrt{3}}& z_2\\ z_3& z_2& \frac{2z_5}{\sqrt{3}}\end{array}\right).$$
(6)
The coordinates $`D_\alpha `$ are connected to the $`z_j`$ by the following relations:

$$D_2=\frac{iz_1+z_2}{\sqrt{2}},D_1=\frac{iz_3+z_4}{\sqrt{2}},D_0=z_5,D_1=\frac{iz_3z_4}{\sqrt{2}},D_2=\frac{iz_1z_2}{\sqrt{2}}.$$
(7)
The matrix $`\psi `$ transforms in the following way under a general transformation $`\gamma =(\rho ,\varphi ,ϵ)G`$:

$$\gamma \psi =e^{i\varphi }\rho \psi ^{}\rho ^\mathrm{T},\gamma G,$$
(8)
where $`\psi ^{}=\psi `$ or $`\psi ^{}`$, according as $`ϵ=+1`$ or $`1`$ and the apex T denotes transposition. As a consequence, the group $`G`$ acts as a group of linear, real, orthogonal transformations on the vector order parameter $`x𝐑^{10}`$.

The kernel of the representation of $`G`$ just defined is the group generated by the space reflection. So, it will not be restrictive to assume that the symmetry group is $`G=\mathrm{𝐒𝐎}_3𝐔_1\times 𝒯`$ and, when speaking of $`G`$, in the following, we shall always refer to this linear group acting in the vector space $`𝐑^{10}`$.

The linear group $`G`$ has a trivial principal isotropy subgroup (the isotropy subgroup of generic points of $`𝐑^{10}`$), thus the principal $`G`$-orbits have the same dimensions as $`G`$ and its orbit space, i.e., the quotient space $`𝐑^{10}/G`$, has dimensions $`q_0=104=6`$.

The Mölien function of $`G`$, $`M(\eta )`$, can be calculated in the form of an invariant Haar integral over $`G`$ (see, for instance, ):

$$M(\eta )=_G\frac{d\mu (g)}{\mathrm{det}\left(\mathrm{𝟏}\eta \mathrm{g}\right)},|\eta |<1,$$
(9)
where $`\mu (g)`$ is a normalized invariant measure on the group $`G`$, the integration is over the whole group $`G`$ and $`gG`$. An explicit calculation of the integral leads to

$$M(\eta )=\frac{\eta ^{20}+\eta ^{12}+\eta ^{10}+\eta ^8+1}{(1\eta ^2)(1\eta ^4)^2(1\eta ^6)^2(1\eta ^8)}.$$
(10)
Equation (10) yields the following indications, whose validity has been checked through direct calculations:

1. A minimal integrity basis for the linear group $`G`$ contains nine elements, $`\{p_1,\mathrm{},p_9\}`$ with degrees $`(d_1,\mathrm{},d_9)=(2,4,4,6,6,8,8,10,12)`$.
2. The invariants $`p_i`$ are connected by five independent syzygies of degrees 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24.
3. The most general $`G`$-invariant polynomial, like a general non-equilibrium polynomial Landau potential, $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}(\alpha ;p)`$, can be written as a polynomial function of the elements of the integrity basis $`\{p_i\}_{i=1\mathrm{}9}`$, in terms of five arbitrary polynomials , $`Q_i=Q_i(\alpha ;p_1,\mathrm{},p_6)`$, $`i=0,\mathrm{},4`$:

$$\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}=Q_0+Q_1p_7+Q_2p_8+Q_3p_9+Q_4p_7p_9.$$
(11)

The elements of the minimal integrity basis can be chosen in the following form:

$$\begin{array}{cc}\begin{array}{ccc}\hfill p_1& =& \mathrm{Tr}(\psi \psi ^{})=_{i=1}^{10}x_i^2,\hfill \\ \hfill p_2& =& \mathrm{Tr}\left[(\psi \psi ^{})^2\right],\hfill \\ \hfill p_3& =& |\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2)|^2,\hfill \\ \hfill p_4& =& |\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^3)|^2,\hfill \\ \hfill p_5& =& |\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2\psi ^{})|^2,\hfill \end{array}\hfill & \begin{array}{ccc}\hfill p_6& =& \mathrm{}\left[\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2)\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2\psi ^{})\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^3)\right],\hfill \\ \hfill p_7& =& \mathrm{}\left[\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2)\left(\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2\psi ^{})\right)^2\right],\hfill \\ \hfill p_8& =& \mathrm{}\left[\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2\psi ^{})\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^3)\left(\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2)\right)^2\right],\hfill \\ \hfill p_9& =& \mathrm{}[\left(\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^2)\right)^3\left(\mathrm{Tr}(\psi ^3)\right)^2].\hfill \end{array}\hfill \end{array}$$
(12)
Using these definitions, we have determined the explicit form of the syzygies, of the $`\widehat{P}`$–matrix elements, of the equations and inequalities determining the strata in the orbit space of $`G`$. For each stratum, denoted by $`S^{(d,r)}`$, where $`d`$ denotes the dimension and $`r`$ is an enumeration index, we have picked up a “typical point” and determined the corresponding isotropy subgroup of $`G`$. All these results are essential pre-requisites for a rigorous calculation of the minima of a $`G`$-invariant polynomial along the lines indicated in the Introduction.

Part of our results are resumed in Tables I, II and III and in Fig. 1, where the group–subgroup relations among the symmetries of bordering strata are also specified.

The explicit expressions of the syzygies and of the elements of the $`\widehat{P}(p)`$ matrix and the relations defining higher dimensional strata would require too much space to be written down here.

As a simple example of the effectiveness of our approach, we have also repeated Mermin’s calculation of the minimum of a general fourth degree polynomial $`G`$-invariant free energy

$$\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)=\alpha _0\frac{p_1^2}{2}+\underset{j=1}{\overset{3}{}}\alpha _jp_j,$$
(13)
in the additional assumptions that it is bounded below and has a local maximum at the origin ($`\alpha _1<0`$). The $`\alpha _i`$’s are connected to the parameters $`\alpha ,\beta _1,\beta _2,\beta _3`$ used by Mermin by the following relations:

$$\alpha _0=2\beta _2+\beta _3,\alpha _1=\alpha ,\alpha _2=\frac{\beta _2}{2},\alpha _3=\beta _1+\frac{\beta _3}{4}.$$
(14)
With the definitions:

$$\stackrel{~}{p}_i=\frac{p_i}{p_1^{d_i/2}},\stackrel{~}{p}=(\stackrel{~}{p}_2,\mathrm{},\stackrel{~}{p}_9),$$
(15)
and

$$\mathrm{\Delta }(\stackrel{~}{p})=\alpha _0+2\alpha _2\stackrel{~}{p}_2+2\alpha _3\stackrel{~}{p}_3,$$
(16)
the polynomial $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)`$ can be put in the following convenient form:

$$\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)=\frac{p_1^2}{2}\mathrm{\Delta }(\stackrel{~}{p})+\alpha _1p_1.$$
(17)
Since, owing to its definition, $`p_1`$ ranges over the whole non negative real numbers, $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)|_{pS}`$ is bounded below (stability condition) if and only if the minimum, $`\delta `$, of $`\mathrm{\Delta }(\stackrel{~}{p})|_{p_1=1}`$ is positive. Being the minimum of the r.h.s. of (17), thought of as a function only of $`p_10`$, equal to $`\alpha _1/(2\mathrm{\Delta })`$, the absolute minimum of $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)|_{pS}`$ is $`\alpha _1^2/(2\delta )`$. In this way, the problems of rendering explicit the stability condition and evaluating the minimum of $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}(p)|_{pS}`$ are reduced to the calculation of $`\delta `$.

The absolute minimum of $`\delta `$ in each singular stratum can be easily obtained from the equations of the strata, listed in Tables I and II for strata with dimensions $`<3`$. For the principal stratum, it is easier to solve the projection of equation (3) in the unit sphere ($`_{i=1}^{10}x_i^2=p_1=1`$), which, using (15), can be written in the form

$$\underset{j=2}{\overset{9}{}}P_{ij}(\stackrel{~}{p})\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }(\stackrel{~}{p})}{\stackrel{~}{p}_j}=0$$
(18)
and to select, subsequently, the solutions lying in the principal stratum.

A comparison of the values of the minima in the different strata, obtained in this way, leads to the results resumed in Table IV and illustrated in Figure 2. Owing to the low degree of the polynomial defining $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Phi }}^{(4)}(p)`$ in (13), and the consequent low number of free parameters $`\alpha `$, the absolute minimum presents strong degeneracy, particularly for special values of the $`\alpha `$’s. If these special values are excluded, spontaneous breaking of the symmetry can generate only five distinct phases out of fifteen permitted by the $`G`$-symmetry; some of them are unstable. For no non trivial values of $`(\alpha _2,\alpha _3)`$ does the absolute minimum lie on the stratum $`S^{(2,2)}`$.

For general values of the $`\alpha `$’s, our results are in agreement with Mermin’s ones. Let us add a few words about the perturbative stability of the three degenerate phases in the region $`_2`$ (see Table IV). For $`(\alpha _0,\alpha _2,\alpha _3)_2`$, the addition to the free energy, $`\mathrm{\Phi }^{(4)}(p)`$, of a ”small” perturbation, consisting in an invariant polynomial of degree six, $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{(6)}=\alpha _4p_4+\alpha _5p_5`$, splits the three degenerate minima determined by the 4-th degreee term***The inclusion of terms of 6-th degree, depending only on $`p_1,p_2`$ and $`p_3`$ would be useless for splitting the degenerate minima, so these terms will be neglected, with no loss of generality.. This is easy to check, at least in the additional assumption that the perturbation leaves the absolute minimum in one of the strata corresponding to the degenerate phases. In fact, at the first perturbative order, one obtains from Tables I and II the following shifts, $`\mathrm{\Theta }_{(d,r)}^{(6)}`$, in the values of the 6-th order free energy at the points where $`\mathrm{\Phi }^{(4)}(p)`$ takes on its degenerate absolute minimum under consideration:

$$\mathrm{\Theta }_{(1,2)}^{(6)}=\left(\frac{\alpha _1}{\delta }\right)^3\frac{\alpha _4+\alpha _5}{6},\mathrm{\Theta }_{(1,3)}^{(6)}=0,\mathrm{\Theta }_{(2,4)}^{(6)}=\left(\frac{\alpha _1}{\delta }\right)^3\left(\alpha _4+\alpha _5\right)\xi ,$$
(19)
where $`0<\xi <1/6`$.

Since $`\alpha _1/\delta >0`$, the absolute minimum will be perturbatively stable on $`S^{(1,2)}`$ or, respectively, $`S^{(1,3)}`$, according as $`\alpha _4+\alpha _5`$ is negative or positive.

As stressed in the Introduction, the difficulties mentioned above can be overcome if one puts less restrictive upper limits to the degree of the polynomial describing the free energy. It is trivial, for instance, to realize that the following class of bounded below polynomial functions  have a vanishing maximum at the origin of $`𝐑^{10}`$ and display an absolute minimum at the arbitrarily chosen point $`\overline{p}S`$:

$$\underset{i=1}{\overset{9}{}}\alpha _i\left[\left(p_i\overline{p}_i\right)^{2n_i}\overline{p}_i^{2n_i}\right],$$
(20)
where the $`\alpha `$’s are positive constants and the $`n`$’s are positive integers.

The physical implications of our results and the derivation of a more realistic form of the free energy will be discussed in forthcoming papers.

## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper is partially supported by RFBR, INFN and MURST.


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# Filling Length in Finitely Presentable Groups

## 1 Isoperimetric and isodiametric functions

Given a finitely presented group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=𝒜|`$ various *filling invariants* arise from considering reduced words $`w`$ in the free group $`F(𝒜)`$ such that $`w=_\mathrm{\Gamma }1`$. Such *null-homotopic* words are characterised by the existence of an equality in $`F(𝒜)`$

$$w=\underset{i=1}{\overset{N}{}}u_i^1r_iu_i$$
(1)
for some $`N`$, relators $`r_iR`$, and words $`u_iF(𝒜)`$. A *van Kampen diagram* provides a geometric means of displaying such an equality - see \[2, page 155\], \[10, pages 235ff\]. This gives a notion of a *homotopy disc* for $`w`$. Then, in analogy with null-homotopic loops in a Riemannian manifold, we can associate various filling invariants to the possible van Kampen diagrams for null-homotopic words $`w`$.

Many such filling invariants are discussed by Gromov in Chapter 5 of . We will be concerned with three: the *Dehn function* (also known as the *optimal isoperimetric function*), the *optimal isodiametric function* and the *filling length function*.

The first two of these invariants are better known than the third \- see for example  and . Let $`|w|`$ denote the length of a reduced word in $`F(𝒜)`$. If $`w=_\mathrm{\Gamma }1`$ then define $`\text{Area}(w)`$ to be the minimum number $`N`$ such that there is a van Kampen diagram for $`w`$ with $`N`$ faces (i.e. 2-cells). The diameter of a van Kampen diagram $`𝒟`$ is the supremum over all vertices $`v`$ of $`𝒟`$ of the shortest path in the 1-skeleton of $`𝒟`$ that connects $`v`$ to the base point of $`𝒟`$. Define $`\text{Diam}(w)`$ to be the least diameter of van Kampen diagrams for $`w`$. Then the Dehn function $`f_0:`$ and optimal isodiametric function $`g_0:`$ for $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=𝒜|`$ are defined by

$`f_0(n)`$ $`:=`$ $`\mathrm{max}\left\{\text{Area}(w):wF(𝒜),|w|n\text{ and }w=_\mathrm{\Gamma }1\right\},`$
$`g_0(n)`$ $`:=`$ $`\mathrm{max}\left\{\text{Diam}(w):wF(𝒜),|w|n\text{ and }w=_\mathrm{\Gamma }1\right\}.`$
We say that $`f`$ and $`g`$ are respectively isoperimetric and isodiametric functions for $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ if $`f_0(n)f(n)`$ and $`g_0(n)g(n)`$ for all $`n`$.

As defined the Dehn and the optimal isodiametric function are dependent on the choice of presentation of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. However different presentations produce $``$-equivalent111Given two functions $`f_1,f_2:(0,\mathrm{})(0,\mathrm{})`$ we say $`f_1f_2`$ when there exists $`C>0`$ such that for all $`l(0,\mathrm{})`$, $`f_1(l)Cf_2(Cl+C)+Cl+C`$. This yields the equivalence relation: $`f_1f_2`$ if and only if $`f_1f_2`$ and $`f_2f_1`$.  functions. From an algebraic point of view the Dehn function $`f_0(n)`$ is the least $`N`$ such that for any null-homotopic word $`w`$ with $`|w|n`$ there is an equality in $`F(𝒜)`$ of the form of equation (1). Similarly (but this time only up to $``$-equivalence) the optimal isodiametric function is the optimal bound on the length of the conjugating words $`u_iF(𝒜)`$.

## 2 The filling length function

In the context of a Riemannian manifold $`X`$ consider contracting a null-homotopic loop $`\gamma :[0,1]X`$ based at $`x_0X`$ to the constant loop at $`x_0`$. By definition there is some continuous $`H:[0,1]\times [0,1]X`$ denoted by $`H_t(s)=H(t,s)`$ with $`H_0=\gamma `$, $`H_1(s)=x_0`$ for all $`s`$, and $`H_t(0)=H_t(1)=x_0`$ for all $`t`$. *Filling length* is a control on the length of the loops $`H_t`$. So the filling length of $`H`$ is the supremum of the lengths of the loops $`H_t`$ for $`t[0,1]`$. And the filling length of $`\gamma `$ is the infimum of the filling lengths of all possible null-homotopies $`H`$. So (using Gromov’s notation) define $`\text{Fill}_0\text{ Leng}\mathrm{}`$ to be the supremum of the filling lengths of all null-homotopic loops $`\gamma :[0,1]X`$ of length at most $`\mathrm{}`$ and based at $`x_0X`$.

Now translate to the situation in a finitely presented group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=𝒜|`$. The concept of homotopy discs is provided by van Kampen diagrams. In the combinatorial context of a van Kampen diagram $`𝒟`$ we use *elementary homotopies*. The boundary word $`w`$ is reduced to the constant word $`1`$ at the base point $`x_0`$ by successively applying two types of moves:

1. *(1-cell collapse)* remove pairs $`(e^1,e^0)`$ for which $`e^0e^1`$ is a 0-cell which is not the base point $`x_0`$, and $`e^1`$ is a 1-cell only attached to the rest of the diagram at one 0-cell which is not $`e^0`$;
2. *(2-cell collapse)* remove pairs $`(e^2,e^1)`$ where $`e^2`$ is a 2-cell of $`𝒟`$ with $`e^1`$ an edge of $`e^2𝒟`$ (note this does not change the 0-skeleton of $`𝒟`$).

Algebraically 1-cell collapse corresponds to free reduction in $`F(A)`$ (but not *cyclic* reduction since the base point $`x_0`$ is preserved). And 2-cell collapse is the substitution of $`a_2a_3\mathrm{}a_n`$ for $`a_1^1`$, where $`a_1,a_2,\mathrm{},a_n𝒜^{\pm 1}`$ and $`a_1a_2\mathrm{}a_n`$ is a cyclic permutation of an element of $`^{\pm 1}`$. Let the filling length of $`𝒟`$, denoted $`FL(𝒟)`$, be the best possible bound on the length of the boundary word as we successively apply these two types of move to reduce $`w`$ to $`1`$. Define the filling length $`FL(w)`$ of a null-homotopic word $`w`$ by

$$FL(w):=\mathrm{min}\left\{FL(𝒟):𝒟\text{ is a van Kampen diagram for }w\right\}.$$

Then define the filling length function $`h_0:`$ by

$$h_0(n):=\mathrm{max}\left\{FL(w):wF(𝒜),|w|n\text{ and }w=_\mathrm{\Gamma }1\right\}.$$

As for $`f_0`$ and $`g_0`$, observe that $`h_0`$ is independent of the presentation up to $``$-equivalence.

Some relationships known between $`f_0,g_0`$ and $`h_0`$ are as follows.

Examples

1. For a finitely presented group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=𝒜|`$ with $`K:=\mathrm{max}\left\{|r|:r\right\}`$, we see that for all $`n`$

$$g_0(n)h_0(n)2Kf_0(n)+n.$$

The first inequality arises since the concentric loops of length at most $`h_0(n)`$ can be followed to reach the base point. The second inequality holds because given a null-homotopic word $`w`$ of length at most $`n`$, we find $`2Kf_0(n)+n`$ is at least twice the total length of the 1-skeleton of a van Kampen diagram for $`w`$.
2. Filling length has also been used by Gersten and Gromov (see pages 100ff of ) to give an isoperimetric function:

$$f_0\mathrm{exp}h_0.$$

A null-homotopic word $`w`$ of length $`n`$ can be reduced to the identity by elementary homotopies through distinct words of length at most $`h_0(n)`$. There are at most $`\mathrm{exp}(Ch_0(n))`$ such words for some constant $`C>0`$. This bounds the number of *2-cell collapse* moves and so this number is at least $`f_0(n)`$.
3. Cohen and Gersten have given a double exponential bound for $`f_0`$ in terms of $`g_0`$ (see  and ):

$$f_0(n)\mathrm{exp}\mathrm{exp}(g_0(n)+n).$$
4. *Asynchronously combable groups* have linear bounds on their filling length functions. This is a result of Gersten \[8, Theorem 3.1 on page 130\] where the notation $`LCNH_1`$ is in this case what we call linearly bounded filling length. In essence the homotopy can be performed by contracting in the direction of the combing, so the contracting loop always remains normal to the combing lines. (See also  for definitions.)

## 3 Logarithmic shelling of finite rooted trees

We now digress to a lemma about rooted trees. Let $`𝒯`$ be a finite rooted tree in which each node has valence three except for the root (valence two) and the leaves (valence one).

Let $``$ be a finite forest of such trees. The *visible* nodes of $``$ are the roots. An *elementary shelling* is the removal of the root of one of its trees (together with the two edges that meet that root when the tree has more than one node). A *(complete) shelling* is a sequence of elementary shellings ending with the empty forest. The *visibility number* of a shelling of $``$ is the maximum number of visible vertices occurring in the shelling. The visibility number $`VN()`$ is the minimum visibility number of all shellings.

Let $`N(𝒯)`$ denote the number of nodes of $`𝒯`$.

###### Lemma 1

Let the integer $`d`$ be determined by $`2^d1<N(𝒯)2^{d+1}1`$. Then $`VN(𝒯)d+1`$.

*Proof.* To obtain this bound on $`VN(𝒯)`$ we shall perform each elementary shelling by always choosing a tree with the least number of nodes to shell first.

We argue by induction on $`N(𝒯)`$, where the induction begins when $`N(𝒯)=1`$; in this case $`d=0`$ and $`VN(𝒯)=1`$, as required.

For the induction step, assume that $`N(𝒯)>1`$ with $`2^d1<N(𝒯)2^{d+1}1`$. Removing the root of $`𝒯`$ produces two trees $`𝒯_1,𝒯_2`$. We let $`N(𝒯_1)N(𝒯_2)`$. Let $`2^{d_i}1<N(𝒯_i)2^{d_i+1}1`$ for $`i=1,2`$. By the induction hypothesis we have $`VN(𝒯_i)d_i+1`$ for $`i=1,2`$. Since we shell $`T_1`$ first, we get $`VN(𝒯)\mathrm{max}(VN(𝒯_1)+1,VN(𝒯_2))\mathrm{max}(d_1+2,d_2+1)`$ by the induction hypothesis. There are now two cases, depending on whether $`d_1<d_2`$ or $`d_1=d_2`$.

*Case 1*. $`d_1<d_2`$. In this case $`\mathrm{max}(d_1+2,d_2+1)=d_2+1d+1`$, so we get $`VN(𝒯)d+1`$ as required.

*Case 2*. $`d_1=d_2`$. Here $`\mathrm{max}(d_1+2,d_2+1)=d_1+2`$. We have $`2(2^{d_1}1)+1<N(𝒯_1)+N(𝒯_2)+12(2^{d_1+1}1)+1`$, whence $`2^{d_1+1}1<N(𝒯)2^{d_1+2}1`$. It follows that $`d=d_1+1`$, and $`VN(𝒯)d+1`$ as required.

This completes the induction, and the proof of Lemma 1 is complete.

###### Corollary 1

$`VN(𝒯)<\mathrm{log}_2(N(𝒯)+1)+1`$.

*Proof.* Write $`2^d1<N(𝒯)2^{d+1}1`$, so $`VN(𝒯)d+1<\mathrm{log}_2(N(𝒯)+1)+1`$, as required.

*Remark.* Note that since $`VN(𝒯)`$ is an integer, the upper bound for $`VN(𝒯)`$ in the corollary can be replaced by the least integer bounding $`\mathrm{log}_2(N(𝒯)+1)`$ from above. Stated in this form, the result is sharp, as we see by taking $`T`$ to be the complete rooted tree $`T(d)`$ of depth $`d`$. In this case $`T(d)`$ has $`2^{d+1}1`$ nodes, and the visibility number is $`d+1`$.

## 4 A bound on the filling length function

We now proceed towards our main theorem.

Definition Let $`𝒫`$ be a finite presentation for the group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. An AD-pair for $`𝒫`$ is a pair of functions $`(f,g)`$ from $``$ to $``$ such that for every circuit $`w`$ of length at most $`n`$ in the Cayley graph there exists a van Kampen diagram $`𝒟_w`$ with area at most $`f(n)`$ and diameter at most $`g(n)`$. Note that $`f`$ is an isoperimetric function and $`g`$ is an isodiametric function.

Examples Up to common multiplicative constants the following are examples of AD-pairs for groups $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$.

1. $`(E^x,x)`$ for some $`E>1`$ and $`(xL(x),x)`$ are both AD-pairs when $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is an asynchronously combable group. Here the length function $`L(n)`$ is the maximum length of combing paths for group elements at distance at most $`n`$ from the identity. That $`(E^x,x)`$ is an AD-pair follows from the linear bound on the filling length function and that $`f_0\mathrm{exp}h_0`$; see section 2 Example 4. In particular $`(x^2,x)`$ is an AD-pair when $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is synchronously automatic since $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ then admits a combing in which the combing lines are quasi-geodesics (see \[4, pages 84-86\]).
2. $`(f(x),f(x)+x)`$ where $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is an arbitrary finitely presented group with an isoperimetric function $`f`$. (See Gersten , Lemma 2.2.)
3. $`(E^{E^{g(x)+x}},g(x))`$ for some $`E>1`$, when $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is an arbitrary finitely presented group with an isodiametric function $`g`$. (See Gersten .)
4. $`(x^r,x^{r1})`$ where $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ satisfies a polynomial isoperimetric function of degree $`r2`$. We postpone proof of this example to section 5.
5. $`(x^{2m+1},x^m)`$ where $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_m`$ is

$`a_1,\mathrm{},a_m,s,t,\tau |\text{for }i<m,s^1a_is=a_{i+1},`$
$`[t,a_i]=[\tau ,a_i]=[s,a_m]=[t,a_m]=[\tau ,a_mt]=1.`$
This family of examples is due to Bridson - see . He shows that in fact $`x^{2m+1}`$ is the *optimal* isoperimetric function and $`x^m`$ is the *optimal* isodiametric function.

###### Theorem 1

Let $`(f,g)`$ be an AD-pair for the finite presentation $`𝒫`$. Then $`h_0(n)g(n)\mathrm{log}(f(n)+1)`$ for all $`n`$.

We actually prove the stronger statement:

###### Proposition 2

Suppose $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is a finitely and triangularly presented group, and $`w\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is null-homotopic with $`n:=|w|`$. Given a van Kampen diagram $`𝒟`$ for $`w`$ with $`D:=\text{Diam}(𝒟)`$ and $`A:=\text{Area}(𝒟)`$ we find

$$FL(𝒟)(2D+1)(\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1)+4D+1+n.$$

Any finite presentation $`𝒜|`$ for a group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ yields a finite *triangular* presentation for $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$. Such presentations are characterised by the length of relators being at most three. If $`r`$ is expressible in $`F(𝒜)`$ as $`w_1w_2`$ where $`|w_1|,|w_2|2`$ then add a new generator $`a`$ to $`𝒜`$, and in $``$ replace $`r`$ by $`a^1w_1`$ and $`aw_2`$. A triangular presentation is achieved after a finite number of such transformations.

As $`f_0,g_0`$ and $`h_0`$ are invariant up to $``$-equivalence on change of finite presentation, Proposition 2 is sufficient to prove Theorem 1.

*Proof of Proposition 2.* We start by taking a maximal geodesic tree $`𝒯`$ in the 1-skeleton of the van Kampen diagram $`𝒟`$, and rooted at the base point $`x_0`$ of $`𝒟`$. So from any vertex of $`𝒟`$ there is a path in $`𝒯`$ to $`x_0`$ with length at most $`D`$.

By cutting along paths in $`𝒯`$ we can decompose $`𝒟`$ into sub-diagrams $`𝒟_i`$ where only one edge from $`𝒟𝒯`$ occurs in each $`𝒟_i`$. We will perform the elementary homotopy which realises the filling length bound by pushing across each of these $`𝒟_i`$ in turn, as shown in Figure 1. Then

$$\text{FL}(𝒟)\underset{i}{\mathrm{max}}\left\{\text{FL}(𝒟_i)\right\}+n.$$
(2)
It remains to explain how to perform the elementary homotopy across each $`𝒟_i`$. We will use six types of *2-cell collapse* moves (see section 2 above). These are depicted in Figure 2, with solid lines representing edges in $`𝒯`$.

We now describe the means of performing the homotopy in a way that controls filling length. Repeatedly apply the following four steps:

1. 1-cell collapse (see section 2 above),
2. moves (i) and (ii): bi-gon collapse,
3. moves (iii) and (iv),
4. moves (v) and (vi) in accordance with *logarithmic shelling*.

The first step in the list that is available is performed, and then we return to the start of the list. Repeating this, the boundary loop of $`𝒟_i`$ will eventually be reduced to the constant loop at the base point $`x_0`$.

The means by which we use logarithmic shelling to choose which 2-cell to collapse when performing step 4 requires some explanation. The result of cutting $`𝒟_i`$ along $`𝒯`$ and removing 2-cells of the type encountered in (i),(ii),(iii), and (iv) of Figure 2, is illustrated in Figure 3. Taking the dual gives a rooted tree of the form discussed in Section 3. The 2-cell to be pushed across is chosen in accordance with the process of logarithmic shelling of rooted trees discussed there. The number of nodes in the tree is at most $`A`$ and so by Corollary 1 the visibility number is at most $`\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1`$.

It remains to explain how performing the elementary homotopy as described above leads to the required bound on $`h_0`$. Consider the situation when the next step to be applied is number 4. The visibility number associated to the dual tree described above is at most $`\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1`$. The homotopy loop includes at most $`\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1`$ edges of the type occurring in move (vi). These are separated by paths in $`𝒯`$ of length at most $`2D`$. The loop is closed by another path in $`𝒯`$ again of length at most $`2D`$. So this loop has length at most:

$$\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1+2D\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+2D=(2D+1)(\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1).$$

Now applying move (v) or (vi) increases the length of the loop by 1, creating two new *channels* where moves (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) may be performed. Consider then applying steps 1, 2 and 3. Step 1 can only decrease the length, and step 2 leaves it unchanged. Step 3 can be applied at most $`2D`$ times in each of the two channels. Thus the increase in length before step 4 is next applied is at most $`1+4D`$. This gives bound

$$\text{FL}(𝒟_i)(2D+1)(\mathrm{log}_2(A+1)+1)+4D+1.$$

Combining this with the inequality (2) we have our result.

## 5 Examples

In this section we provide a proof for the assertion made in section 2 about an AD-pair for a group with a polynomial isoperimetric function. We then give applications of Theorem 1 to particular classes of groups, and we conclude with a discussion of an open question.

###### Proposition 3

Let $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ be a group admitting a polynomial isoperimetric function of degree $`r2`$. Then up to a common multiplicative constant $`(x^r,x^{r1})`$ is an AD-pair for $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$.

Papasoglu gives this result for $`r=2`$ in \[11, page 799\]. It requires a small generalisation of his argument to obtain the result for all $`r2`$, as follows. (See also \[9, page 100\].)

We will make use of some of definitions. Let the radius of a van Kampen diagram $`𝒟`$ to be

$$\text{Rad}(𝒟):=\mathrm{max}\left\{d(v,𝒟):v\text{ is a vertex of }𝒟\right\},$$

where $`d(v,𝒟)`$ is the combinatorial distance in the 1-skeleton.

For a subcomplex $`K`$ of $`𝒟`$ define $`\text{star}(K)`$ to be the union of closed 2-cells meeting $`K`$. Define $`\text{star}_i(K)`$ to be the $`i`$-th iterate of the star operation for $`i1`$; by convention $`\text{star}_0(K)=K`$. So if $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is triangularly presented then the 0-cells in $`\text{star}_i(𝒟)`$ are precisely those a distance at most $`i`$ from $`D`$.

The substance of Proposition 3 is in the following lemma.

###### Lemma 2

Suppose $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=𝒜|`$ is triangularly presented (see the paragraph following Proposition 2) and that $``$ includes all null-homotopic words of length at most 3. Suppose further that there is $`M>0`$ such that $`f_0(n)Mn^r`$ for all $`n`$. Then for all null-homotopic $`w`$ we have $`\text{Rad}(𝒟)12M\left|w\right|^{r1}`$, where $`𝒟`$ is a minimal area van Kampen diagram for $`w`$.

As discussed in section 4, a change of finite presentation induces a $``$-equivalence on isoperimetric and isodiametric functions. Note that there are only finitely many words of length at most 3 in a finitely presented group. Also observe that adding $`n/2`$ is sufficient to obtain a diameter bound from a radius bound. Thus this lemma is sufficient to prove Proposition 3.

*Proof of Lemma 2.* We proceed by induction on $`n`$. For $`n3`$ the result follows from our insistence that $``$ includes all null-homotopic words of length at most 3.

For the induction step suppose $`w`$ is null-homotopic and $`\left|w\right|=n`$. Let $`𝒟`$ be a minimal area van Kampen diagram for $`w`$. Let $`N_i:=\text{star}_i(𝒟)`$. Let $`c_i:=N_i𝒟`$, which is the union of simple closed curves any two of which meet at one point or not at all (note that $`c_0=(\text{star}_0(D))D`$, which is empty).

Now $`\text{Area}(N_{i+1})\text{Area}(N_i)l(c_i)/3`$ because every 1-cell of $`c_i`$ lies in the boundary of some 2-cell in $`N_{i+1}N_i`$.

For all $`i`$,

$$\text{Area}(𝒟)\text{Area}(N_{i+1})l(c_i)/3+l(c_{i1})/3+\mathrm{}+l(c_0)/3.$$

Thus if $`l(c_i)>n/2`$ for all $`i6Mn^{r1}`$ we get a contradiction of the area bound $`Mn^r`$ for $`𝒟`$. So for some $`i6Mn^{r1}`$ we find $`l(c_i)n/2`$. We can appeal to the inductive hypothesis to learn that the diagrams enclosed by the simple closed curves constituting $`c_i`$ have radius at most $`12M(n/2)^{r1}6Mn^{r1}`$.

So a vertex $`v`$ of $`𝒟`$ either lies in $`N_i`$, in which case $`d(v,𝒟)6Mn^{r1}`$, or is in a diagram enclosed by one of the simple closed curves $`c`$ of $`c_i`$ . In the latter case $`d(v,𝒟)d(v,c)+d(c,𝒟)12Mn^{r1}`$ as required, thus completing the proof of the lemma.

We now give some applications of our main theorem to particular classes of groups.

Example *Polynomial isoperimetric function.* If the finitely presented group $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ admits a polynomial isoperimetric function of degree $`r2`$, it follows from Theorem 1 and Proposition 3 above that $`h_0(n)n^{r1}\mathrm{log}(n+1)`$. This contrasts with the inequality $`h_0f_0`$ in section 2 Example 1.

Example *Bridson’s Groups $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_m`$* (see section 3 Example 5). These have AD-pairs $`(x^{2m+1},x^m)`$ and so Theorem 1 gives us bounds of $`x^m\mathrm{log}x`$ on their filling length functions, which is a significant improvement on the bounds $`x^{2m+1}`$ obtained from the inequality $`h_0f_0`$.

Open question In connection with the double exponential bound quoted in section 2 Example 3, it is an open problem, to our knowledge first raised by John Stallings, whether there is always a simple exponential bound $`f_0\mathrm{exp}g_0`$. It is natural then to ask whether there is always an AD-pair of the form $`(\mathrm{exp}g_0,g_0)`$. (This adds the requirement that the $`\mathrm{exp}g_0`$ bound on $`f_0`$ is always realisable on the same van Kampen diagram as $`g_0`$.) Our main theorem gives a necessary condition that this be true, namely that $`h_0g_{0}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}`$.

We shall now make some observations relevant to the single exponential question just stated.

###### Proposition 4

If $`𝒫`$ is a finite presentation, then for all integers $`N3`$ there exists $`C(N)>0`$ such that for all van Kampen diagrams $`𝒟`$ in $`𝒫`$ all of whose vertices have valence at most $`N`$ one has

1. $`Area(𝒟)N^{Diam(𝒟)+1}1`$, and
2. $`FL(𝒟)C(N)Diam(𝒟)^2+n+1`$.

*Proof.* The number of vertices at a given distance $`i`$ from the base point is at most $`N(N1)^{i1}`$, so it follows that the number of geometric edges $`E(𝒟)`$ satisfies $`E(𝒟)N+N^2+\mathrm{}+N^D<\frac{N^{D+1}1}{N1}`$, where $`D=Diam(𝒟)`$. Since each edge is incident with at most 2 faces, we get $`Area(𝒟)2\frac{N^{D+1}1}{N1}N^{D+1}1`$, giving the first conclusion of the proposition.

¿From Proposition 2 it follows that $`FL(𝒟)(2D+1)(D+1)\mathrm{log}_2(N)+4D+1+n=C(N)D^2+n+1`$, where $`C(N)`$ depends only on $`N`$, proving the second conclusion.

###### Corollary 2

For every finite presentation $`𝒫`$ there is a constant $`C>0`$ such that if $`𝒟`$ is an immersed topological disc diagram in $`𝒫`$, then $`FL(𝒟)C\text{Diam}(𝒟)^2+n+1`$.

*Proof.* Since $`𝒟`$ is immersed, the valence of a vertex $`v`$ is at most the number of edges incident at a vertex of the Cayley graph, namely, twice the number of generators of $`𝒫`$. The corollary follows from the second conclusion of the proposition.

*Remark.* Gromov observed in  5C that if $`h_0g_0`$, then it follows that $`f_0\mathrm{exp}g_0`$; one sees this as a consequence of section 2 Example 3 above. We do not know an example from finitely presented groups where $`h_0g_0`$ fails; however it is shown in  that this can fail in a simply connected Riemannian context. 222Their example does not amount to a properly discontinuous cocompact action by isometries on a simply connected Riemannian manifold, so it does not correspond to an example arising from finitely presented groups.

| Steve Gersten | Tim Riley |
| --- | --- |
| Mathematics Department | Mathematical Institute |
| University of Utah | 24-29 St Giles |
| Salt Lake City | Oxford |
| UT 84112 | OX1 3LB |
| USA | UK |
| E-mail: gersten@math.utah.edu | E-mail: rileyt@maths.ox.ac.uk |


text:
# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

The idea of string description of the super-symmetric gauge theory has been proposed firstly by Maldacena  and developed to the case of non-supersymmetric case by several ways . One step in this direction has been proposed by  in terms of the non-critical string theory, which is based on the super-symmetric Liouville theory, and developed . This proposal has studied also in the critical type 0B  and also in the type IIB  string theories.

In the approaches based on the non-supersymmetric global theory, several asymptotic solutions have been discussed both in the ultraviolet and infrared regions. And many authors have tried to connect these fixed points by one renormalization group flow. In order to clear this point, we should find such solutions, which connect those fixed points, by solving the renormalization group equations. Our purpose here is to show such a solution explicitly in the framework of the non-critical string theory for the pure Yang-Mills theory, where ZigZag invariance would be expected .

The solutions obtained here are classified into the asymptotically free and non-free types. The asymptotic-free solutions are further separated into two types by their infrared behaviors. One type of solutions has an infrared fixed point with the anti-de Sitter (AdS) background at a finite coupling constant, where the ZigZag invariance is realized. While the $`\beta `$-function of the other type decreases monotonically with the increasing coupling-constant. Estimating the Wilson loops for these asymptotic free solutions, we could obtain the quark-confining potential. The solutions of the $`\beta `$-function for non-zero tachyon potential show unexpected behaviors near the asymptotic free region. We discuss on this point from the viewpoint of the gauge theory.

In section two we give the gravitational equations to be solved as the renormalization group equations of the Yang-Mills theory. And the conformal invariant solution with AdS background is shown. The equation to be solved is given as the one of $`\beta `$-function in section three, and the running solutions with and without this AdS fixed point are obtained in the next two sections by assuming that the tachyon is independent on the energy-scale. In the section six, the $`\beta `$-functions are discussed in the series expanded form. In section seven, the stability of the tachyon is discussed, and the concluding remarks are given in the final section.

## 2 Gravitational equations and conformal fixed point

The effective action of the non-critical string theory, which is dual to the Yang-Mills theory, could be represented by including the Ramond-Ramond (RR) $`p+1`$-form field $`A_{p+1}`$. 222 For the sake of the simplicity, we consider only one type of R-R field.  And it is expected that N $`D_{p+1}`$-branes are stacked on the boundary to make the U(N) gauge theory there. Then we start from the following action,

$`S_D`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\kappa ^2}}{\displaystyle }dx^D\sqrt{|g|}\{e^{2\mathrm{\Phi }}(R4(\mathrm{\Phi })^2+(T)^2+V(T)+c)`$ (1)
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2(p+2)!}}f(T)F_{p+2}^2\},`$
where $`c=(10D)/2\alpha ^{}`$, and $`F_{p+2}=dA_{p+1}`$ is the field strength of $`A_{p+1}`$. Hereafter we take as $`\alpha ^{}=1`$. The total dimension $`D`$ includes the Liouville direction, which is denoted by $`r`$. The tachyon potential is represented by $`V(T)`$, and $`f(T)`$ denotes the couplings between the tachyon and the RR field investigated in . Although they might be important, we don’t know their precise form. So we search for solutions in the case of $`f(T)=1`$ and $`T=T_0=`$ constant, for the sake of the simplicity. And the value of $`V(T_0)`$ is taken as a parameter, which plays an important role to determine the behaviour of the renormalization group flows of the solutions.

The equations of motion are written as

$`R_{\mu \nu }2_\mu _\nu \mathrm{\Phi }`$ $`=`$ $`_\mu T_\nu T+e^{2\mathrm{\Phi }}T_{\mu \nu }^A`$ (2)
$`4_\mu \mathrm{\Phi }^\mu \mathrm{\Phi }2^2\mathrm{\Phi }`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{D2d2}{4(p+2)!}}e^{2\mathrm{\Phi }}F_{p+2}^2+V_c(T)`$ (3)
$`^2T2_\mu \mathrm{\Phi }^\mu T`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}V_c^{}(T)`$ (4)
$$_\mu (\sqrt{|g|}F^{\mu \nu _1\mathrm{}\nu _{p+1}})=0,$$
(5)
where $`V_c(T)=c+V(T)`$ and

$$T_{\mu \nu }^A=\frac{1}{2(p+1)!}\left(F_{\mu \nu _1\mathrm{}\nu _{p+1}}F_\nu ^{\nu _1\mathrm{}\nu _{p+1}}\frac{g_{\mu \nu }}{2(p+2)}F_{\nu _1\mathrm{}\nu _{p+2}}F^{\nu _1\mathrm{}\nu _{p+2}}\right).$$
(6)
For the simplicity, the dimension $`D`$ is set as $`D=p+2`$ and $`p=3`$ to consider the case dual to the pure 4-dimensional Yang-Mills theory.

We solve the above equations according to the following ansatz;

$$ds^2=e^{2A(r)}\eta _{\mu \nu }dx^\mu dx^\nu +e^{2B(r)}dr^2$$
(7)
$$\mathrm{\Phi }\mathrm{\Phi }(r),TT(r)\text{and}A_{01\mathrm{}p}=e^{c(r)},$$
(8)
where $`x^\mu ,\mu =0p`$, denote the space-time coordinates. And $`r`$ represents the Liouville coordinate, which plays the role of the energy-scale in the $`p+1`$-dimensional gauge theory . The equation (5) is solved as

$$_re^{c(r)}=Ne^{dA+B}$$
(9)
where $`d=p+1`$ and N denotes the number of the p-brane. Then the remaining equations (2) and (3) are rewritten as,

$$\dot{A}\dot{B}+\ddot{A}+d\dot{A}^22\dot{A}\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}=\frac{N^2}{4}e^{2B+2\mathrm{\Phi }},$$
(10)
$$d(\ddot{A}+\dot{A}^2\dot{A}\dot{B})2(\ddot{\mathrm{\Phi }}\dot{B}\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }})=\frac{N^2}{4}e^{2B+2\mathrm{\Phi }}\dot{T}^2,$$
(11)
$$2(\ddot{\mathrm{\Phi }}+\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}(d\dot{A}\dot{B}))4\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}^2=\frac{(d+1)}{4}N^2e^{2B+2\mathrm{\Phi }}+e^{2B}V_c(T)$$
(12)
$$\ddot{T}+(d\dot{A}\dot{B})\dot{T}2\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}\dot{T}=\frac{1}{2}e^{2B}V_c^{}(T)$$
(13)
where the dot denotes the derivative with respect to $`r`$.

We notice that the above equations have the AdS as a conformal invariant fixed point. We review it briefly. The solution is found by assuming that $`\mathrm{\Phi }(=\mathrm{\Phi }_0)`$ and $`T(=T_0)`$ are independent on $`r`$ and

$$A=\gamma \rho ,B=\rho ,$$
(14)
where $`\rho =\mathrm{ln}(r/r_0)`$ and $`r_0`$ denotes an appropriate scale parameter which is taken as unit hereafter for the simplicity. Then we get

$$\lambda _0Ne^{\mathrm{\Phi }_0}=\sqrt{\frac{4}{5}V_c(T_0)},\gamma =\pm \frac{\lambda _0}{4},V^{}(T_0)=0.$$
(15)
where $`\lambda _0`$ denotes the ’t Hooft coupling constant at this fixed point.

## 3 Equations for $`\beta `$-Function

Usual way to find renormalization group flows is to see the deviations from the above AdS solution by taking the following functional forms,

$$A(\rho )=\gamma \rho +a(\rho ),B(\rho )=\rho +b(\rho ),$$
(16)
$$\mathrm{\Phi }(\rho )=\mathrm{\Phi }_0+\varphi (\rho ),T(\rho )=T_0+t(\rho ),$$
(17)
where $`\gamma ,\mathrm{\Phi }_0`$ and $`T_0`$ are given in (15). This setting is useful for finding the fixed point with the AdS background, where the deviations, $`\{a(\rho ),b(\rho ),\varphi (\rho ),t(\rho )\}`$, vanish at $`\rho =\pm \mathrm{}`$.

While we want to search for more general solutions which are not necessarily asymptotic AdS background. Then we use $`A(\rho )`$ instead of $`a(\rho )`$ here. The equation for $`T`$, (13), is solved as $`t(\rho )=0`$ since we are considering the case of $`T=T_0`$. Then the remaining equations (10) $``$ (12) are rewritten by using $`\{A(\rho ),b(\rho ),\varphi (\rho )\}`$ as follows:

$$\ddot{A}+\dot{A}(d\dot{A}\dot{b}2\dot{\varphi })=\frac{\lambda _0^2}{4}e^{2(b+\varphi )},$$
(18)
$$d[\ddot{A}+\dot{A}(\dot{A}\dot{b})]2(\ddot{\varphi }\dot{b}\dot{\varphi })=\frac{\lambda _0^2}{4}e^{2(b+\varphi )},$$
(19)
$$\ddot{\varphi }+\dot{\varphi }(d\dot{A}\dot{b}2\dot{\varphi })=\frac{5\lambda _0^2}{8}e^{2(b+\varphi )}+\frac{V_c(T)}{2}e^{2b},$$
(20)
where the dot denotes the derivative with respect to $`\rho `$.

By introducing the following new notations

$$\dot{A}=Q,\dot{\varphi }=S,$$
(21)
these three equations can be rewritten into the two first order differential equations and one constraint as follows

$`\dot{Q}Q\dot{b}`$ $`=`$ $`b_1,`$ (22)
$`\dot{S}S\dot{b}`$ $`=`$ $`b_3,`$ (23)
$$b_2db_1+2b_3=0,$$
(24)
where

$`b_1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\lambda _0^2}{4}}e^{2(b+\varphi )}Q(dQ2S)`$ (25)
$`b_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\lambda _0^2}{4}}e^{2(b+\varphi )}dQ^2`$ (26)
$`b_3`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{5\lambda _0^2}{8}}e^{2(b+\varphi )}S(dQ2S)+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}V_c(T_0)e^{2b}.`$ (27)
We can see that the equation (24) represents the ”Hamiltonian” constraint which comes from the reparametrization invariance of the gravitational system with respect to the coordinate $`r`$ or $`\rho `$ . In fact, the action (1) can be written as the kinetic term ($`K`$) minus the potential term $`U`$ by using the ansatz (7) $``$ (9) as

$`K`$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{g}\left(4(3\dot{A}^24\dot{A}\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}+\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}^2)e^{2(b+\mathrm{\Phi })}+N^2/2\right),`$ (28)
$`U`$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{g}V_c(T_0)e^{2\mathrm{\Phi }},`$ (29)
where we used $`T=T_0`$=const.. Then the zero-energy constraint, $`T+U=0`$, is written as

$$4(3\dot{A}^24\dot{A}\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}+\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}^2)+(\frac{\lambda ^2}{2}+V_c(T_0))e^{2b}=0,$$
(30)
where $`\lambda =Ne^\mathrm{\Phi }`$, which is the running ’t Hooft coupling constant. This equation is equivalent to (24). Usually the gauge $`b=0`$ is considered, and (24) is used as the boundary condition to solve the equations of $`A`$ and $`\mathrm{\Phi }`$.

Here, $`b`$ is not however fixed for a while. And the equation (30) (or (24)) is used to eliminate $`b`$ in the equations (22) and (23). After that, we find that (22) and (23) are not independent, and we obtain a trivial identity ($`0=0`$) and the following equation

$$(1Sb_{1S})\dot{S}Sb_{1Q}\dot{Q}=b_3+Sb_{11},$$
(31)
where

$`b_{1Q}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{3Q2S}{3Q^24QS+S^2}}`$ (32)
$`b_{1S}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2Q+S}{3Q^24QS+S^2}}`$ (33)
$`b_{11}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{S\lambda ^2}{2V_c+\lambda ^2}}.`$ (34)
This implies the following facts.

(i) One of the two functions, $`Q`$ or $`S`$, can be given as an arbitrary function and the remaining one should be obtained by solving the equation (31). This arbitrariness would come from the fact that $`b`$ is not yet fixed at this stage.

(ii) As far as the condition (30) is satisfied, it is enough to solve the equation (31) for obtaining the solutions of the original equations.

Our strategy is to rewrite Eq.(31) as the equation of $`\beta `$-function by fixing $`b`$ and determining $`Q`$ in an appropriate way as shown below. Before fixing $`b`$, we define the $`\beta `$-function of the Yang-Mills theory as follows

$$\beta (\lambda )\dot{\lambda },.$$
(35)
The functions to be solved ($`Q`$ and $`S`$) are originally introduced as functions of $`\rho `$, and the ’t Hooft coupling is also the function of $`\rho `$ as $`\lambda =\lambda (\rho )`$. So it would be possible to consider $`Q`$ and $`S`$ as functions of $`\lambda `$ if $`\lambda `$ could be regarded as a single valued function of $`\rho `$. Then the variable $`\rho `$ and the function $`S`$ in the equation (31) can be replaced to $`\lambda `$ and $`\beta `$ by using the relations, $`d/d\rho =\beta (\lambda )d/d\lambda `$ and $`S=\dot{\mathrm{\Phi }}=\beta /\lambda `$.

Next we determine $`Q`$ as a function of $`\beta `$ and $`\lambda `$ by fixing $`b`$ as follows. Consider a new coordinate $`u`$ defined as

$$e^{2b}d\rho ^2=du^2.$$
(36)
For this coordinate, we can define new $`\beta `$-function as $`\stackrel{~}{\beta }=d\lambda /du`$. We restrict the analysis to the case where both functions $`\beta `$ and $`\stackrel{~}{\beta }`$ represent essentially the same $`\beta `$-function. Then we assume $`\beta /\stackrel{~}{\beta }=1`$ simply. This assumption leads to the gauge,

$$(\frac{du}{d\rho })^2=e^{2b}=1.$$
(37)
From this we obtain,

$$Q=\frac{1}{3\lambda }\left(2\beta \pm \sqrt{\beta ^2\frac{3}{8}\lambda ^2(\lambda ^2+2V_C)}\right).$$
(38)
Using this, Eqs.(31) is rewritten as

$$\beta ^{}=\frac{\beta }{3\lambda }+\frac{4V_c+5\lambda ^2}{8\beta }\lambda \frac{4}{3\lambda }\sqrt{\beta ^2\frac{3}{8}\lambda ^2(\lambda ^2+2V_c)},$$
(39)
where prime denotes the derivative with respect to $`\lambda `$, for example $`\beta ^{}=d\beta /d\lambda `$. $`V_c=V_c(T_0)`$ is a constant. The sign $``$ of the third term on the right hand side implies that if $`\beta `$ would be a solution of the equation of either sign then $`\beta `$ is the solution of the equation of the opposite sign. In this sense, it is enough to consider the equation of either sign.

In deriving equation (39), the overall factor $`(3Q2S)`$ has been divided out since we can see that $`3Q=2S`$ is not the solution of the original equations.

## 4 Analytic solutions: $`V_c(T_0)=0`$

First, we consider the analytic solution obtained for $`V_c=0`$. It is easy to find the following solution,

$$\beta =\frac{5}{2}\lambda Q=3\sqrt{\frac{25}{24}}\lambda ^2,$$
(40)
where we solved the equation (39) with the minus sign of the third term. This is the exact solution, but it contains only one-loop term. In this sense, this corresponds to the $`\beta `$-function of the super-symmetric Yang-Mills theory, but this should be considered as the approximate form at small $`\lambda `$ in our model as mentioned below.

For this solution, we obtain $`e^A=\lambda ^{2/5}`$. Then the background in the asymptotic free limit of this solution is not the $`AdS_5`$ as found in , and it is considered as the ”ZigZag” horizon  since $`e^A0`$ in the limit of $`\lambda 0`$. This horizon is situated at the ultraviolet limit, $`\rho \mathrm{}`$, contrary to the expectation of . As for the five dimensional scalar curvature $`R^{(5)}`$, it is obtained as $`R^{(5)}=R_0\lambda ^2`$ with $`R_0=20/3`$. Then $`R^{(5)}`$ grows with increasing $`\lambda `$, so the higher-order terms of the curvature would become important in the effective action at large $`\lambda `$. And there is no reason to prevent those terms in our model. As a result this solution would be modified in the infrared region

This point is understood from the viewpoint of the availability of the holographic method considered here. For $`D=10`$ and $`p=3`$, the conditions of the reliability of correspondence between the gravitational equations and the renormalization group equations of the Yang-Mills theory are given by $`N,\lambda >>1`$. While they are changed to $`N>>\lambda ^{5/2}`$ and $`1>>\lambda `$ if we take the setting, $`D=p+2`$ and $`p=3`$, seriously. The latter condition, $`1>>\lambda `$, is obtained from the requirement that the higher order terms of $`\alpha ^{}`$ in the effective action are negligible in the D-brane system. It can be expressed as $`\lambda ^{1/(Dp3)}>>1`$ for general $`D`$ and $`p`$. Then the higher curvature terms would be necessary to apply the holographic picture at large $`\lambda `$ region contrary to the case of the critical string theory.

From the logarithmic behaviour of the gauge coupling constant in the perturbative region, the result given by Eq.(40) implies that the gauge coupling $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$ is related to the ’tHooft coupling $`\lambda `$ as

$$\lambda g_{\mathrm{YM}}^2.$$
(41)
This relation is expected from the Born-Infeld type action of the D-brane, which implies $`e^\mathrm{\Phi }g_{\mathrm{YM}}^2`$. However this relation is altered in the case of $`V_c0`$ as seen in the next section, and we will discuss on this point in more detail in the section six.

Although the solution would be unreliable at large $`\lambda `$, we can estimate the Wilson loop since the solution is exact. In , the Wilson-loop is expressed by the integral with respect to the coordinate transverse. Here, we rewrite this expression by replacing the integral variable from the coordinate to the coupling constant $`\lambda `$ as

$$_{r_0}^{r_M}\frac{dr}{r}=_{\lambda _M}^{\lambda _{IR}}\frac{d\lambda }{\beta (\lambda )},$$
(42)
where $`\lambda _{IR}`$ ($`\lambda _M`$) represents the upper (lower) bound of $`\lambda `$ at the infrared (ultraviolet) side. Then the distance $`L`$ between $`q\overline{q}`$ and the extremized string action $`S`$ are given as

$$L=2Er_0_{\lambda _M}^{\lambda _1}\frac{d\lambda }{\beta }\frac{e^{A+b}}{\sqrt{e^{4A}E^2}},$$
(43)
$$S=\frac{\tau r_0}{2\pi }_{\lambda _M}^{\lambda _1}\frac{d\lambda }{\beta }\frac{e^{3A+b}}{\sqrt{e^{4A}E^2}},$$
(44)
where $`E`$ is an arbitrary constant introduced in minimizing the string action , and $`\tau `$ denotes the time-interval of the Wilson-loop. Here the lower bound is given as $`\lambda _M=E^{5/4}`$ since $`e^A=\lambda ^{2/5}`$, and the upper bound is infinite. Then we obtain the following result,

$$S=S_3L^{3/7},S_3=\tau \frac{\sqrt{3/2}r_0B(3/8,1/2)}{4\pi [\sqrt{3/2}r_0B(11/8,1/2)]^{1/5}}.$$
(45)
This result shows the confinement potential, but $`S`$ increases more slowly with $`L`$ than the linearly rising potential which is expected from the well known QCD. The second unexpected point is that the potential does not show the Coulomb behaviour near $`L=0`$. This point could be understood as follows. We obtain $`L=L_0E^{7/4}`$, where $`L_0`$ is a positive constant, then the potential at small $`L`$ is determined by the information at large $`E`$. While the lower bound of $`\lambda `$ is given by $`\lambda _M=E^{5/4}`$, so the behaviour of the potential at small $`L`$ is given by the large coupling dynamics. As a result the Coulomb behaviour could not be seen at small $`L`$.

Where is the AdS fixed point in this solution? This solution is obtained for $`V_c(T_0)=0`$, then the AdS fixed point at $`\lambda _0(=\sqrt{4V_c/5})`$ is pushed to $`\lambda =0`$. And the scalar curvature becomes zero since the radius of the AdS space becomes infinite. In this sense, the usual AdS solution could not be seen. As shown in the next section, it is necessary to consider the case of $`V_c<0`$ in order to find a solution including the AdS fixed point at finite $`\lambda `$.

## 5 Numerical solutions: $`V_c(T_0)<0`$

In the case of $`V_c(T_0)<0`$, we could show solutions which contain the AdS fixed point by solving Eq.(39) numerically.

Before performing the numerical analysis, we notice some points implied by Eq.(39) to consider an appropriate boundary conditions to solve the equation. (i) Firstly, it can be read that two fixed points are possible at $`\lambda =0`$ and $`\lambda _0(=\sqrt{4V_c/5})`$. If $`\beta `$ would be zero at some other point, then the third term of the right hand side of (39) diverges. So the solutions for $`\beta `$ could not have zero points except for the above two points. (ii) Secondly, Eq.(39) represents two equations discriminated by the sign of the third term. As mentioned above, this freedom can be reduced to the sign of $`\beta `$. Then it is enough to solve the equation in either sign since the other solution can be obtained by reflecting its sign. (iii) Thirdly, $`\beta `$ could be obtained near $`\lambda =0`$ as

$$\beta =\beta _0^\pm \lambda +\mathrm{},\beta _0^\pm =\pm \frac{1}{2}\sqrt{V_c}.$$
(46)
The coefficient should be taken as $`\beta _0^{}=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{V_c}`$ for the asymptotic-free solution. But we notice that this result is a little undesirable since the leading term is not quadratic with respect to $`\lambda `$ as expected from the perturbative Yang-Mills theory. The meaning of this term and the series expansion of $`\beta (\lambda )`$ are discussed in the next section.

(iv) Near the AdS fixed point, $`\lambda =\lambda _0`$, the following expansion form can be found,

$$\beta =\beta _\pm ^{}(\lambda _0)(\lambda \lambda _0)+\mathrm{},\beta _\pm ^{}(\lambda _0)=\frac{1\pm \sqrt{6}}{2}\lambda _0.$$
(47)
This result indicate that the AdS fixed point is either the ultraviolet or the infrared fixed point depending on the sign of $`\beta ^{}(\lambda _0)`$. In principle, both solutions are possible.

We solve Eq.(39) with the minus sign of the third term of its right hand side since the asymptotic free solutions can be obtained by this choice. The value of the potential is taken as $`V_c(T_0)=15/2`$ for simplicity. Although there are many solutions depending on the boundary condition, they are separated into two groups, the asymptotic free and non-free solutions. The typical solutions are shown in the Fig.1. We should notice that the functions given by the reflection, $`\beta \beta `$, of the solutions shown in the Fig.1 are also the solutions which are not shown in the figure.

The solution (b) has been obtained by the boundary condition, $`\beta (\lambda _0+ϵ)=\beta _+^{}(\lambda _0)ϵ`$, where $`ϵ`$ is a very small number. This solution has the ultraviolet fixed point at $`\lambda _0`$ and diverges to $`\mathrm{}`$ ($`\mathrm{}`$) at $`\lambda =0`$ ($`\lambda =\mathrm{}`$).

While the solution (a) is obtained by the boundary condition, $`\beta (\lambda _0+ϵ)=\beta _+^{}(\lambda _0)ϵ`$. This condition is the reflection on the $`\lambda `$-axis of the above boundary condition for the solution (b), but it does not leads to the solution given by changing the sign of the solution (b). The reflected solution of (b) is obtained from Eq.(39) of the plus sign of the third term with the same boundary condition for the solution (b).

The solution (a) crosses the $`\lambda `$-axis at $`\lambda =\lambda _0`$ as the infrared fixed point and approaches to zero as $`\lambda 0`$ according to the asymptotic solution $`\beta =\beta _0^{}\lambda =\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{V_c}\lambda `$ which is shown by the dotted line in the Fig.1. Then the asymptotic-free and the AdS infrared fixed points are smoothly connected by this solution. We can further see $`e^{A(\lambda )}1`$ as $`\lambda 0`$, then the background at the asymptotic-free fixed point is not the AdS space but the flat space-time. So this solution denotes the renormalization group flow between two different background configurations, flat and AdS spaces. It should be noticed for this solution that $`e^{2A}0`$ as $`\lambda \lambda _0`$, near the AdS fixed point. This is seen from the approximate form of $`e^{2A}`$ obtained near $`\lambda \lambda _0`$,

$$e^{2A}=e^{\frac{1}{2}\lambda _0\rho }=(\lambda _0\lambda )^{\frac{\sqrt{6}+1}{5}}.$$
(48)
Here we notice the following relation, $`\rho =\mathrm{ln}(\lambda \lambda _0)/\beta _+^{}(\lambda _0)`$, in this region. Then this fixed point can be considered as the ZigZag horizon, which is situated at the infrared boundary $`\rho =\mathrm{}`$ as expected in . The five dimensional scalar curvature $`R^{(5)}`$ is finite since this point corresponds to the AdS space, and it is given by $`R^{(5)}=\frac{5}{4}\lambda _0^2=|V_c|`$ at $`\lambda =\lambda _0`$.

The third solution (c) in the Fig.1 is obtained by the condition, $`\beta (ϵ)=\beta _0^{}ϵ`$, but it can not arrive at the AdS fixed point and diverges to $`\mathrm{}`$ at large $`\lambda `$. This solution has the similar form to the one given in the previous section for $`V_c=0`$, but the asymptotic form near $`\lambda =0`$ is different. As in the solution (a), $`(Q=)\dot{A}`$ approaches to zero as $`\lambda 0`$ and we obtain $`e^{2A}=1`$ at $`\lambda =0`$, while $`e^{2A}`$ increases monotonically with increasing $`\lambda `$. Then the background of the asymptotic-free fixed point of this solution is also the flat five dimensional space-time, and there is no ZigZag horizon in this solution. These points are also different from the solution of $`V_c=0`$.

Next task is to evaluate the Wilson loop for these solutions. For solutions (b) and (c), we need the information of the infinite range of $`\lambda `$ for the analysis in the asymptotic-free phase. But it seems to be difficult to do it since we do not know the analytic form of the solutions contrary to the case of the previous section. While, the asymptotic free phase for the solution (a) is restricted to the finite region of $`\lambda `$, $`0<\lambda <\lambda _0`$. Then it is possible to estimate numerically the Wilson loop for this solution according to the formula given above. We notice some remarks in performing this numerical analysis.

(i) The form of $`e^A`$ obtained here is shown in the Fig.2. It implies that the analysis should be performed in the region $`0<E<1`$, and the upper limit in the integration of $`\lambda `$ should be introduced for each $`E`$.

(ii) $`e^A`$ approaches one at $`\lambda =0`$ as stated above, so the integration has the logarithmic divergence near $`\lambda =0`$ since $`\beta \beta _0^{}\lambda `$ for $`\lambda 0`$. Then we should evaluate the integrals by subtracting this divergence, and the following subtracted form for $`S`$ and $`L`$ are used,

$$L=2Er_0_{\lambda _M}^{\lambda _1}\frac{d\lambda }{\beta }(1\frac{\beta }{\beta _0\lambda })\frac{e^{A+b}}{\sqrt{e^{4A}E^2}},$$
(49)
$$S=\frac{\tau r_0}{2\pi }_{\lambda _M}^{\lambda _1}\frac{d\lambda }{\beta }(1\frac{\beta }{\beta _0\lambda })\frac{e^{3A+b}}{\sqrt{e^{4A}E^2}}.$$
(50)
The result is shown in the Fig.3. The estimation in the region of small $`L`$ is suppressed in this figure since a special care is needed in this region where both $`\beta `$ and $`e^A`$ approach to zero. So we estimate $`S`$ and $`L`$ analytically in this region as shown below. For $`\lambda \lambda _0`$, we obtain

$$\beta =\beta _+^{}(\lambda _0)x,e^A=x^\alpha ,$$
(51)
where $`x=\lambda _0\lambda `$, $`\alpha =\lambda _0/(4\beta _+^{}(\lambda _0))`$ and the higher order terms of $`x`$ are suppressed. By using these approximate formula, we obtain the following result

$$S=\frac{B^2(3/4,1/2)}{16\pi }\frac{1}{L}.$$
(52)
where $`B(a,b)`$ denotes the beta function. Then the attractive Coulomb potential can be seen for this solution at small $`L`$, but this Coulomb behaviour does not reflect the dynamics of the asymptotic free region. It should be the reflection of the dynamics near the infrared fixed point.

## 6 Behaviour of $`\beta (\lambda )`$ near $`\lambda =0`$

Here we discuss the behaviour of $`\beta (\lambda )`$ near $`\lambda =0`$. It is sharply discriminated by the value of $`V_c`$. For $`V_c=0`$, the expected asymptotic-free behaviour and the favorable correspondence between $`\lambda `$ and $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$ are obtained in the section four.

However the situation is very different in the case of $`V_c<0`$. First, we comment on the leading linear term of $`\beta `$ given in Eq.(46). From the viewpoint of the field theory, the coefficient of this linear term represents the anomalous dimension of $`\lambda `$. This could be understood when we apply the idea given in  to the background considered here. From Eq.(1), the following wave equation for $`e^\mathrm{\Phi }`$ is obtained,

$$(^2+m^2)\chi =0,m^2=\frac{1}{4}(V_c+R),$$
(53)
where $`\chi =e^\mathrm{\Phi }`$. $``$ and the scalar curvature $`R`$ are given by using the solution given in the previous section as follows,

$$^2=_\rho ^2+4Q_\rho ,R=4(5Q^2+2\beta Q),$$
(54)
where $`Q(\lambda )`$ is given by (38). For the solutions (a) and (c) in the previous section, $`Q`$ approaches to zero near $`\lambda =0`$. Then we can solve the above equation (53) by the asymptotic form of $`\chi =e^{\mathrm{\Delta }\rho }`$ near $`\rho \mathrm{}`$ or $`\lambda 0`$ with

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_\pm =\pm \frac{1}{2}\sqrt{V_c}.$$
(55)
This implies $`\beta (\lambda )=\mathrm{\Delta }_+\lambda +\mathrm{}`$.

Then we must see the next order terms of $`\beta (\lambda )`$ to compare with the perturbative behaviour of the Yang-Mills theory. We can obtain the following form of the expansion by using Eq.(39),

$$\beta (\lambda )=\beta _0^{}\lambda +\frac{\lambda ^3}{2\beta _0^{}}\mathrm{ln}\frac{\lambda }{\lambda _0}+\frac{b_2}{96(\beta _0^{})^3(2\beta _0^{})}\lambda ^5\left((\mathrm{ln}\frac{\lambda }{\lambda _0})^2+a_2\mathrm{ln}\frac{\lambda }{\lambda _0}+c_2\right)+\mathrm{},$$
(56)
$$b_2=21,a_2=\frac{57}{4}\frac{b_2}{2(2\beta _0^{})},c_2=\frac{9}{128}\frac{a_2}{2(2\beta _0^{})},$$
(57)
where $`\lambda _0`$ is an arbitrary constant. The second and the third terms in (56) represent the one-loop and the two-loop corrections respectively, and $`b_2`$ is not changed by the value of $`\lambda _0`$. The characteristic features of this result are the following two points. (i) This expansion contains the logarithmic term, $`\mathrm{ln}\frac{\lambda }{\lambda _0}`$, and (ii) the coefficient of the two-loop correction, $`b_2`$, is negative. The first point implies the existence of the interaction term like $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}^2A_\mu A_\nu O^{\mu \nu }`$ in the gauge theory, and $`O^{\mu \nu }`$ condenses to the vacuum. Its value would be related to $`V_c`$, because this behaviour disappears for $`V_c=0`$. The similar situation is seen in considering the Coleman-Weinberg mechanism for a gauge theory. However we can not say anything about the breaking of the gauge symmetry in our case from this logarithmic behaviour only.

The second point implies that the gauge theory considered here is not a pure Yang-Mills theory with gauge fields only because of $`b_2<0`$. This does not change the asymptotic freedom of the theory since the one-loop coefficient is negative, but the contents of the fields in the theory can not be cleared here.

The coefficients of the loop-corrections depend on the value of $`V_c`$, and we can see this through $`\beta `$-functions of type (a) and (c) given in the previous section by varing the values of $`V_c`$. The numerical estimations for those are shown in the Figs.4 and 5. The qualitative behaviors are not changed by the values of $`V_c`$ for (a) and (c) respectively.

Finally we comment on the identification of $`\lambda `$ with $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$. It is given here as $`\lambda g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$, which is different from the case of $`V_c=0`$ where we obtain the expected correspondence $`\lambda g_{\mathrm{YM}}^2`$. Similar mismatch is also seen in the case of the critical type 0B model, where the relation $`\lambda g_{\mathrm{YM}}^4`$ is preferred . Although the tachyon is treated as a running field in type 0B model, the value of $`V_c`$ is also negative and it plays an important role. This kind of ambiguity in identifying $`\lambda `$ and $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$ would be related to the tachyon condensation which would lead to a deformation of the gauge coupling from the one expected by the naive world-volume action of the D-branes.

## 7 Stability of Tachyon

Finally, we give a brief comment on the stability of the tachyon fluctuation around our solutions. Here the tachyon was not ”running” since the classical equations are solved for the case of $`T=T_0`$, which is independent on the energy scale $`\rho `$. But we must pay attention for its fluctuation, which is denoted by $`t`$, around $`T_0`$ from the viewpoint of the stability of our classical solutions in the five dimensional theory. This is examined by solving the linearized equation for $`t`$, which is obtained from (13) and (15) as

$$\ddot{t}+(d\dot{A}2\dot{\varphi })\dot{t}=\frac{1}{2}V^{\prime \prime }(T_0)t.$$
(58)
Here dot denotes the derivative with respect to the new variable $`u`$, but it is equivalent to $`\rho `$ since we set as $`du/d\rho =1`$. The condition for the stability is the existence of the solution of Eq.(58) in the form $`t=e^{\alpha u}`$ with real $`\alpha `$. Since the coefficient of $`\dot{t}`$ is dependent on $`u`$, then we examine this equation near the fixed points where the coefficient can be approximated by a constant.

First, we consider near the asymptotic free region, $`\lambda 0`$. (i) For the solution of $`V_c=0`$, the coefficient disappears at $`\lambda =0`$, namely $`d\dot{A}2\dot{\varphi }=0`$. Then $`t`$ will be stable if

$$V^{\prime \prime }(T_0)>0,$$
(59)
which means the positive mass-squared of the tachyon around $`T=T_0`$. (ii) For the solutions of $`V_c<0`$, solutions (a) and (c), we have $`d\dot{A}2\dot{\varphi }=2\beta _0^{}`$. So the stability condition is obtained as

$$\frac{1}{2}V^{\prime \prime }(T_0)\frac{V_c(T_0)}{4}>0.$$
(60)
In this case, the condition is satisfied even if $`V^{\prime \prime }(T_0)`$ is negative for its small absolute value. This situation is similar to the case of the AdS background.

In the case of solution (a), the coefficient can be estimated at the AdS fixed point $`\lambda =\lambda _0`$, where we get $`d\dot{A}2\dot{\varphi }=3\lambda _0`$. Then the stability condition at this point is given by $`\frac{1}{2}V^{\prime \prime }(T_0)\frac{9V_c(T_0)}{5}>0`$. Since $`V_c<0`$, this condition is satisfied if (60) is fulfilled. Then we can say that the tachyon would be stable if the condition (60) is fulfilled for the solution (a).

## 8 Conclusions and Discussion

We have examined the equations of non-critical string theory as the renormalization group equations of the Yang-Mills theory on the boundary. The analysis is restricted to the five dimensions to see the properties of the pure Yang-Mills theory. The tachyon is assumed to be a constant to simplify the model, and the equations are rewritten as the differential equations with respect to the ’t Hooft coupling constant $`\lambda `$. In this equation, the value of the tachyon potential appears as an unique parameter.

In terms of this simple model, we could find several interesting solutions. The $`\beta `$-function of the corresponding Yang-Mills theory could have two zero (or fixed) points at $`\lambda =0`$ and $`\lambda _0`$. The latter point ($`\lambda _0`$) is corresponding to the fixed point with the AdS background. While, the background at the asymptotic-free fixed point ($`\lambda =0`$) is the flat space or non-AdS space with zero curvature. Among the various solutions, two types (called as type (a) and (c)) of asymptotic-free solutions are found. They are classified by their infrared behaviour. For the solution of type (c), the $`\beta `$-function decreases monotonically with increasing $`\lambda `$. While the type (a) solution connects two fixed points at $`\lambda =0`$ and $`\lambda _0`$ with different background configurations smoothly, and the asymptotic-free phase is restricted to the finite region of $`\lambda `$.

For the type (a) and the analytic type (c) solutions, the ZigZag horizons have been found at the infrared and ultraviolet fixed point respectively. The Wilson loops have been estimated for these solutions and we found the quark-confinement potentials for both solutions. But the potential obtained grows with the distance between quarks more slowly than the linear rising one, and the Coulomb like potential at small distance could not be seen for the latter case.

For the analytic solution of $`V_c=0`$, we can see the expected scale dependence of the gauge coupling constant, $`g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$, and its identification with the ’tHooft coupling as $`\lambda =g_{\mathrm{YM}}^2`$. However we observe several unexpected features of the solutions for $`V_c0`$. They can not be seen in the usual pure Yang-Mills theory. (i) The leading term of $`\beta (\lambda )`$ near $`\lambda =0`$ is the linear term of $`\lambda `$, and it would represent the anomalous dimension of the coupling constant. This can be understood by the wave equation of the dilaton, $`e^\mathrm{\Phi }`$, near the boundary of the bulk space. In the background of our solution, the dilaton behaves as a massive field. The mass has been produced effectively by the background configuration, and the mass term produces an anomalous dimension for $`e^\mathrm{\Phi }`$. (ii) The loop-expansions contains the logarithmic factor of the coupling constant. This fact implies that the gauge theory considering here would contain some operator which couples to the gauge fields and condenses to the vacuum as seen in the Coleman-Weinberg mechanism. (iii) The ’tHooft coupling should be identified with the gauge coupling constant as $`\lambda g_{\mathrm{YM}}`$. This identification is different from the case of the solution for $`V_c=0`$. Then we expect that the condensation of the tachyon would lead to some modification of the gauge coupling constant.

The availability of our analysis based on the holographic idea would be restricted to the small $`\lambda `$ region as mentioned in section four. In this sense, the solution of type (a) would be reliable even in the infrared region if we consider in the asymptotic free phase and $`V_c`$ is taken to be small.

We could obtain the stability condition for the tachyon-fluctuation around our solutions at the ultraviolet and infrared fixed points, and we found that condition would be satisfied even if tachyon has negative mass-squared as in the AdS background case.