Monopoles and confinement in three dimensions from holography

Abstract

We study the phase diagram of a confining three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 1 supersymmetric U(N) × U(N + M) theory with holographic dual corresponding to a known string theory solution. The theory possesses a global U(1) symmetry under which magnetic monopoles are charged. We introduce both temperature and an external magnetic field for monopoles and find that there are deconfinement phase transitions as any of the two is increased, supporting monopole condensation as the possible mechanism for confinement. We find that the transition as the magnetic field is increased is second order, providing the first example in holographic duals of a deconfinement transition which is not first order. We also uncover a rich structure in the phase diagram, with a triple point and a critical point where a line of first order transitions end.