Little string theory in a double scaling limit

Abstract

A double scaling limit can be defined in string theory on a Calabi-Yau (CY) manifold by approaching a point in moduli space where the CY space develops an isolated singularity and at the same time taking the string coupling to zero, while keeping a particular combination of the two parameters fixed. This leads to a decoupled theory without gravity which has a weak coupling expansion, and can be studied using a holographically dual non-critical superstring description. The usual ``Little String Theory'' corresponds to the strong coupling limit of this theory. We use holography to compute two and three point functions in weakly coupled double scaled little string theory, and study the spectrum of the theory in various dimensions. We find a discrete spectrum of masses which exhibits Hagedorn growth.