Localized states of BFSS super quantum mechanics
Localized states of BFSS super quantum mechanics
We analyze the recently discovered localized and non-uniform phases of the Banks-Fischler-Shenker-Susskind (BFSS) matrix quantum mechanics. Building on [1], we provide first-principles derivations of their properties and extend the results with new analytic and numerical insights. We show that strongly coupled BFSS dynamics emerge from a specific Carrollian transformation of 11-dimensional supergravity, which we justify in detail. In this framework, the uniform BFSS phase corresponds to a black string in a pp-wave background. We demonstrate that this background is unstable to a Gregory Laflamme instability and, for the first time, compute the associated growth rate. The instability gives rise to non-uniform and localized phases that dominate the microcanonical ensemble in certain low-energy regimes, with the localized phase also prevailing in the canonical ensemble at low temperatures. We identify the corresponding first- and second order phase transitions and derive analytic formulas for the thermodynamics of the localized phase, accurate to better than 0.3% against numerical results.
hep-th, gr-qc, hep-lat
Dias, Oscar J.C.
f01a8d9b-9597-4c32-9226-53a6e5500a54
Santos, Jorge E.
88cca86d-9e1e-40a7-acba-f7986bd7f84b
Dias, Oscar J.C.
f01a8d9b-9597-4c32-9226-53a6e5500a54
Santos, Jorge E.
88cca86d-9e1e-40a7-acba-f7986bd7f84b
Abstract
We analyze the recently discovered localized and non-uniform phases of the Banks-Fischler-Shenker-Susskind (BFSS) matrix quantum mechanics. Building on [1], we provide first-principles derivations of their properties and extend the results with new analytic and numerical insights. We show that strongly coupled BFSS dynamics emerge from a specific Carrollian transformation of 11-dimensional supergravity, which we justify in detail. In this framework, the uniform BFSS phase corresponds to a black string in a pp-wave background. We demonstrate that this background is unstable to a Gregory Laflamme instability and, for the first time, compute the associated growth rate. The instability gives rise to non-uniform and localized phases that dominate the microcanonical ensemble in certain low-energy regimes, with the localized phase also prevailing in the canonical ensemble at low temperatures. We identify the corresponding first- and second order phase transitions and derive analytic formulas for the thermodynamics of the localized phase, accurate to better than 0.3% against numerical results.
Text
2510.07379v1
- Author's Original
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e-pub ahead of print date: 8 October 2025
Additional Information:
54 pages, 11 figures
Keywords:
hep-th, gr-qc, hep-lat
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Local EPrints ID: 507586
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/507586
ISSN: 2331-8422
PURE UUID: 7859b41e-003d-4cd2-ac76-551314085efa
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Date deposited: 12 Dec 2025 17:59
Last modified: 13 Dec 2025 02:45
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Author:
Jorge E. Santos
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