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# Relevance of electron-lattice coupling in cuprates superconductors

## Abstract

We study the oxygen isotope (16O,18O) and finite size effects in Y$`{}_{1x}{}^{}\mathrm{Pr}_{x}^{}`$Ba2Cu3O7-δ by in-plane penetration depth ($`\lambda _{ab}`$) measurements. A significant change of the length $`L_c`$ of the superconducting domains along the $`c`$-axis and $`\lambda _{ab}^2`$ is deduced, yielding the relative isotope shift $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_c/L_c\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2/\lambda _{ab}^20.14`$ for $`x=0,0.2`$ and $`0.3`$. This uncovers the existence and relevance of the coupling between the superfluid, lattice distortions and anharmonic phonons which involve the oxygen lattice degrees of freedom.

Since the discovery of superconductivity in cuprates by Bednorz and Müllerbed  a tremendous amount of work has been devoted to their characterization. The issue of inhomogeneity and its characterization is essential for several reasons, including: First, if inhomogeneity is an intrinsic property, a re-interpretation of experiments, measuring an average of the electronic properties, is unavoidable. Second, inhomogeneity may point to a microscopic phase separation, i.e. superconducting domains, embedded in a nonsuperconducting matrix. Third, there is neutron spectroscopic evidence for nanoscale cluster formation and percolative superconductivity in various cupratesmesot ; furrer . Fourth, nanoscale spatial variations in the electronic characteristics have been observed in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ with scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM)liu ; chang ; cren ; lang . They reveal a spatial segregation of the electronic structure into 3nm diameter superconducting domains in an electronically distinct background. On the contrary, a large degree of homogeneity has been observed by Renner and Fischerrenner . As STM is a surface probe the relevance of these observations for bulk and thermodynamic properties remains to be clarified. Fifth, in YBa2Cu3O7-δ, MgB2, 2H-NbSe2 and Nb77Zr23 considerably larger domains have been established. The magnetic field induced finite size effect revealed lower bounds ranging from $`L=182`$ to $`814`$A book ; tsfs . Sixth, since the change of the lattice parameters upon oxygen isotope exchange is negligibly smallconderla ; raffa , the occurrence of a significant modification of the domains spatial extent, will provide clear evidence for superconductivity mediated by local lattice distortions.

This letter concentrates on Y$`{}_{1x}{}^{}\mathrm{Pr}_{x}^{}`$Ba2Cu3O7-δ with 16O and 18O. It addresses these issues by providing clear evidence for a finite size effect on the in-plane London penetration depth, revealing the existence of superconducting domains with spatial nanoscale extent and its significant change upon oxygen isotope exchange.

Polycrystalline samples of Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ ($`x=0`$, 0.2, 0.3) were synthesized by solid-state reactions conder  and their phase-purity was examined using powder x-ray diffraction. For each doping concentration the samples were reground in a mortar for about 60min. Powder samples with a grain size of $`<10\mu `$m were obtained by using a system of 20/15/10$`\mu `$m sieves. Oxygen isotope exchange was performed by heating the powder in $`^{18}`$O2 gas. In order to ensure the same thermal history of the substituted (18O) and not substituted (16O) samples, two experiments (in 16O2 and 18O2) were always performed simultaneously conder . To achieve complete oxidation the exchange processes were carried out at 550oC during 30 h, followed by slow cooling (20oC/h). The 18O content, determined from a change of the sample weight after the isotope exchange, was found to be 89(2)% for all samples. Field-cooled (FC) magnetization measurements were performed with a Quantum Design SQUID magnetometer in field range 0.5 to 10mT and a temperature range 5K to 100K. The powder samples ($``$100mg) were put in a quartz ampule. To guarantee the same experimental conditions (sample geometry and the background signal from the sample holder), the same ampule was used. The absence of weak links between grains was confirmed by the linear scaling of the FC magnetization measured at 5K in 0.5mT, 1mT and 1.5mT. The Meissner fraction $`f`$ was calculated from the mass and the x-ray density, assuming spherical grains. An example of $`f`$ versus $`T`$ is displayed in the insert of Fig.1. Assuming spherical grains of radius $`R`$, the data were analyzed on the basis of the Shoenberg formula shoenberg , allowing to calculate the temperature dependence of the effective penetration depth $`\lambda _{eff}\left(T\right)/\lambda _{eff}\left(0\right)`$. For sufficiently anisotropic extreme type II superconductors, including Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ , $`\lambda _{eff}`$ is proportional to the in-plane penetration depth, so that $`\lambda _{eff}=1.31\lambda _{ab}`$Bafford88 ; Fesenko91 . Since it is not possible to extract the absolute value of $`\lambda _{ab}`$ from our measurements we take $`\lambda _{ab}\left(0K\right)`$ from $`\mu `$SR measurementskhasanov  to normalize the data. In the main panel of Fig.1 we displayed the resulting temperature dependence of $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)`$ for the 16O and 18O samples of Y0.7Pr0.3Ba2Cu3O7-δ. For comparison we included $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)=`$ $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(0\right)/\lambda _{0,ab}^2\left(1T/T_c\right)^\nu `$ with the critical exponent $`\nu =2/3`$, $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{c}^{}=54.9K`$ and $`{}_{}{}^{18}T_{c}^{}=53.7K`$ to indicate the asymptotic critical behavior for an infinite superconducting domain. Apparently, the data are inconsistent with such a sharp transition. It clearly uncovers a rounded phase transition which occurs smoothly and with that a finite size effect at work. In this context it is important to emphasize that this finite size effect is not an artefact of Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ or the particular technique used to evaluate $`1/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)`$. Indeed, this rounding is also seen in the data for YBa2Cu3O7 panagop , La2-xSrxCuO4 with x=0.1, 0.15 and 0.2pana , and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ single crystalsjacobs ; osborn . Moreover, independent evidence for superconducting domains of finite extent, stems from the analysis of specific heat datatsfs . Given the mounting evidence for these domains, their behavior upon oxygen isotope exchange is expected to offer valuable clues on the relevance of local lattice distortions in the mechanism mediating superconductivity.

To elucidate this issue we perform a finite size scaling analysis of the in-plane penetration depth data for Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ with 16O and 18O. Supposing that cuprate superconductors are granular, consisting of spatial superconducting domains, embedded in a non-superconducting matrix and with spatial extent $`L_a`$, $`L_b`$ and $`L_c`$ along the crystallographic $`a`$, $`b`$ and $`c`$-axes, the correlation length $`\xi _i`$ in direction $`i`$, increasing strongly when $`T_c`$ is approached cannot grow beyond $`L_i`$. Consequently, for finite superconducting domains, the thermodynamic quantities like the specific heat and penetration depth are smooth functions of temperature. As a remnant of the singularity at $`T_c`$ these quantities exhibit a so called finite size effectfisher , namely a maximum or an inflection point at $`T_{p_i}`$, where $`\xi _i\left(T_{p_i}\right)=L_i`$. There is mounting experimental evidence that for the accessible temperature ranges, the effective finite temperature critical behavior of the cuprates is controlled by the critical point of uncharged superfluids (3D-XY)book ; osborn . In this case there is the universal relationship

$$\frac{1}{\lambda _i^2\left(T\right)}=\frac{16\pi ^3k_BT}{\mathrm{\Phi }_0^2\xi _i^t\left(T\right)},$$
(1)
between the London penetration depth $`\lambda _i`$ and the transverse correlation length $`\xi _i^t`$ in direction $`i`$book ; hohenberg . As aforementioned, when the superconductor is inhomogeneous, consisting of superconducting domains with length scales $`L_i`$, embedded in a non-superconducting matrix, the $`\xi _i^t`$’s do not diverge but are bounded by

$$\xi _i^t\xi _j^tL_k^2,ijk.$$
(2)
A characteristic feature of the resulting finite size effect is the occurrence of an inflection point at $`T_{p_k}`$ below $`T_c`$, the transition temperature of the homogeneous system. Here

$$\xi _i^t\left(T_{p_k}\right)\xi _j^t\left(T_{p_k}\right)=L_k^2,ijk,$$
(3)
and Eq.(1) reduces to

$$\frac{1}{\lambda _i\left(T\right)\lambda _j\left(T\right)}|_{T=T_{p_k}}=\frac{16\pi ^3k_BT_{p_k}}{\mathrm{\Phi }_0^2}\frac{1}{L_k}.$$
(4)
In the homogeneous case $`1/\left(\lambda _i\left(T\right)\lambda _j\left(T\right)\right)`$ decreases continuously with increasing temperature and vanishes at $`T_c`$, while for superconducting domains, embedded in a non-superconducting matrix, it does no vanish and exhibits an inflection point at $`T_{p_k}<T_c`$, so that

$$d\left(\frac{1}{\lambda _i\left(T\right)\lambda _j\left(T\right)}\right)/dT|_{T=T_{p_k}}=\text{extremum}$$
(5)
We are now prepared to perform the finite size scaling analysis of the penetration depth data. In Fig.2 we displayed $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(T=0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)`$ and $`d\left(\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T=0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)\right)/dT`$ versus $`T`$ for Y0.7Pr0.3Ba2Cu3O7-δ. The solid lines are $`\left({}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}\left(T\right)\right)^2=1.62\left(1T/^{16}T_c\right)^\nu `$, $`\left({}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)/^{18}\lambda _{ab}\left(T\right)\right)^2=1.4\left(1T/^{18}T_c\right)^\nu `$with $`\nu =2/3`$, $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{c}^{}=54.9`$K, $`{}_{}{}^{18}T_{c}^{}=53.7`$K and the dash dot lines the corresponding derivatives, indicating the leading critical behavior of a domain, infinite in the c-direction. The extreme in the first derivative around $`T52.1`$K and $`51`$K for 16O and 18O respectively clearly reveal the existence of an inflection point, characterizing the occurrence of a finite size effect in $`1/\lambda _{ab}^2`$(Eq.(5)). Using Eq.(4) and the estimates for $`T_{p_c}`$, $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(T_{p_c}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$$`{}_{}{}^{18}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(T_{p_c}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$ and $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)`$ listed in Table I, we obtain $`{}_{}{}^{16}L_{c}^{}=19.5\left(8\right)`$Å and $`{}_{}{}^{18}L_{c}^{}=22.6\left(9\right)`$Å for the spatial extent of the superconducting domains along the c-axis. Note that the rather broad peak around the inflection point reflects the small value of $`L_c`$. Indeed, in Bi2212, where the same analysis gives $`L_c68`$Å, this peak was found to be considerably sharpertsbifs .

To explore the dependence of this change on Pr concentration we performed analogous magnetization measurements on Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ with $`x=0`$ and $`x=0.2`$ and extracted the in-plane penetration depth, as outlined above. In Fig.3 we show $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left(T=0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)`$ and $`d\left(\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T=0\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T\right)\right)/dT`$ versus $`T`$ for YBa2Cu3O7-δ with 16O and 18O. The solid lines are $`\left({}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}\left(T\right)\right)^2=3.9\left(1T/^{16}T_c\right)^{2/3}`$, $`\left({}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)/^{18}\lambda _{ab}\left(T\right)\right)^2=3.55\left(1T/^{18}T_c\right)^{2/3}`$ with $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{c}^{}^{18}T_c=90.3`$K and the dash dot lines the corresponding derivatives, indicating the leading critical behavior of the homogeneous system. The finite size estimates for various quantities and the corresponding isotope shifts, for an 18O content 89% are summarized in Table I (we define the relative oxygen isotope shift of a physical quantity $`X`$ as $`\mathrm{\Delta }X/X=(^{18}X^{16}X)/^{16}X`$). While the isotope effect on $`T_c`$ and the inflection points $`T_{p_c}`$is very small, there is an appreciable shift of $`1/\lambda _{ab}^2`$. As indicated in Fig.3, we used a quadratic fit around the inflection point to determine $`T_{p_c}`$. Nevertheless, the error left ($`0.1`$ to $`0.2`$K) leads to the main uncertainty in terms of $`\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$. From Table I several observations emerge. First, $`L_c`$ increases systematically with reduced $`T_{p_c}`$. Second, $`L_c`$ grows with increasing $`x`$ and upon isotope exchange (16O, 18O). Third, the relative shift of $`T_{p_c}`$ is very small. This reflects the fact that the change of $`L_c`$ is essentially due to the superfluid, probed in terms of $`\lambda _{ab}^2`$. Accordingly, $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_c/L_c\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2/\lambda _{ab}^2`$ for $`x=0,0.2`$ and $`0.3`$. Indeed the relative shifts of $`T_{p_c}`$, $`\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)`$ and $`L_c`$ are not independent. Eq.(4) implies,

$$\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }L_c}{L_c}=\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }T_{p_c}}{T_{p_c}}+\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)}{\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)}.$$
(6)
| x | 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $`\mathrm{\Delta }T_{p_c}/T_{p_c}`$ | -0.000(2) | -0.015(3) | -0.021(5) |
| $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_{p_c}/L_{p_c}`$ | 0.12(5) | 0.13(6) | 0.16(5) |
| $`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)/\lambda _{ab}^2\left(T_{p_c}\right)`$ | 0.11(5) | 0.15(6) | 0.15(5) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left({}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$ | 4.4(2) | 4.0(2) | 4.4(2) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{18}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left({}_{}{}^{18}T_{p_c}^{}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$ | 4.9(2) | 4.6(2) | 5.2(2) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}(K)`$ | 89.0(1) | 67.0(1) | 52.1(2) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{18}T_{p_c}^{}\left(K\right)`$ | 89.0(1) | 66.0(2) | 51.0(2) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{16}L_{p_c}^{}\left(\mathrm{\AA }\right)`$ | 9.7(4) | 14.2(7) | 19.5(8) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{18}L_{p_c}^{}\left(\mathrm{\AA }\right)`$ | 10.9(4) | 16.0(7) | 22.6(9) |
| $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)\left(\mathrm{\AA }\right)`$ | 1250(10) | 1820(20) | 2310(30) |

Table I: Finite size estimates for $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}`$, $`{}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }T_{p_c}=^{16}T_{p_c}^{18}T_{p_c}`$,$`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left({}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$ and $`{}_{}{}^{18}\lambda _{ab}^{2}\left({}_{}{}^{18}T_{p_c}^{}\right)/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left(0\right)`$, and the resulting relative shifts $`\mathrm{\Delta }T_{p_c}/^{16}T_{p_c}`$and $`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^2\left({}_{}{}^{16}T_{p_c}^{}\right)`$ for an $`^{\text{18}}`$O content of 89%. $`{}_{}{}^{16}L_{p_c}^{}`$, $`{}_{}{}^{18}L_{p_c}^{}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_{p_c}/^{16}L_{p_c}`$ follow then via Eq.(4). $`{}_{}{}^{16}\lambda _{ab}^{}\left(0\right)`$ are $`\mu `$SR estimateskhasanov

To appreciate the implications of these estimates, we note that for fixed Pr concentration the lattice parameters remain essentially unaffectedconderla ; raffa . Accordingly, an electronic mechanism, without coupling to local lattice distortions and anharmonic phonons, implies $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_c=0`$. On the contrary, a significant change of $`L_{p_c}`$ upon oxygen exchange uncovers the coupling to local lattice distortions and anharmonic phonons involving the oxygen lattice degrees of freedom. A glance to Table I shows that the relative change of the domains along the c-axis upon oxygen isotope exchange is significant, ranging from $`12`$ to $`16`$%, while the relative change of the inflection point or the transition temperature is an order of magnitude smaller. For this reason the significant relative change of $`L_c`$ at fixed Pr concentration is accompanied by essentially the same relative change of $`\lambda _{ab}^2`$, which probes the superfluid. This uncovers unambiguously the existence and relevance of the coupling between the superfluid, lattice distortions and anharmonic phonons involving the oxygen lattice degrees of freedom. Potential candidates are the Cu-O bond-stretching-type phonons showing temperature dependence, which parallels that of the superconductive order parameterchung . Independent evidence for the shrinkage of limiting length scales upon isotope exchange stems from the behavior close to the quantum superconductor to insulator transition where $`T_c`$ vanishestsiso . Here the cuprates become essentially two dimensional and correspond to a stack of independent slabs of thickness $`d_s`$tseuro ; tsphysicab . It was found that the relative shift $`\mathrm{\Delta }d_s/d_s`$ upon isotope exchange adopts a rather unique value, namely $`\mathrm{\Delta }d_s/d_s0.03`$tsiso .

In conclusion, we reported the first observation of the combined finite size and oxygen isotope exchange effects on the spatial extent $`L_c`$ of the superconducting domains along the c-axis and the in-plane penetration depth $`\lambda _{ab}`$. Although the majority opinion on the mechanism of superconductivity in the cuprates is that it occurs via a purely electronic mechanism involving spin excitations, and lattice degrees of freedom are supposed to be irrelevant, we have shown the relative isotope shift $`\mathrm{\Delta }L_c/^{16}L_c\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda _{ab}^2/^{16}\lambda _{ab}^20.15`$ uncovers clearly the existence and relevance of the coupling between the superfluid, lattice distortions and anharmonic phonons which involve the oxygen lattice degrees of freedom.

The authors are grateful to K.A. Müller and J. Roos for very useful comments and suggestions on the subject matter. This work was partially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.


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# Glass Transition in a Two-Dimensional Electron System in Silicon in a Parallel Magnetic Field

Also at \]Institute of Physics, PAS, Warsaw, Poland

## Abstract

Studies of low-frequency resistance noise show that the glassy freezing of the two-dimensional electron system (2DES) in Si in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition (MIT) persists in parallel magnetic fields $`B`$ of up to 9 T. At low $`B`$, both the glass transition density $`n_g`$ and $`n_c`$, the critical density for the MIT, increase with $`B`$ such that the width of the metallic glass phase ($`n_c<n_s<n_g`$) increases with $`B`$. At higher $`B`$, where the 2DES is spin polarized, $`n_c`$ and $`n_g`$ no longer depend on $`B`$. Our results demonstrate that charge, as opposed to spin, degrees of freedom are responsible for glassy ordering of the 2DES near the MIT.

The fascinating strong correlation physics exhibited by low-density two-dimensional (2D) electron and hole systems SAK  remains the subject of intensive research. In the vicinity of the apparent metal-insulator transition (MIT), in particular, both electron-electron interactions and disorder appear to be equally important. Their competition may lead to the emergence of many metastable states and the resulting glassy dynamics of electrons. Recent experiments SBP ; JJP  on a 2D electron system in Si have demonstrated such glassy behavior, lending support to the theoretical proposals that attempt to describe the 2D MIT as the melting of a Coulomb Tha ; Pas , Wigner Sud , or spin Sac  glass. Even though several features of the data SBP ; JJP  are consistent with the model of glassy behavior that occurs in the charge sector Pas ; Den ; Dar , it is still an open question whether charge or spin degrees of freedom are responsible for the observed glass transition. Since a sufficiently strong magnetic field is expected to destroy the spin glass order Bin ; Sac , experimental studies of glassy dynamics in parallel magnetic fields $`B`$ com  should be able to distinguish between the proposed models. Here we present such a study, which shows that the glass transition persists even in $`B`$ such that the 2D system is spin polarized. These results demonstrate that charge, as opposed to spin, degrees of freedom are responsible for glassy ordering of the 2DES near the MIT.

Previous studies carried out at $`B=0`$ employed a combination of transport and low-frequency resistance noise measurements SBP ; JJP  to probe the glassy behavior. The glass transition was manifested by a sudden and dramatic slowing down of the electron dynamics and by an abrupt change to the sort of statistics characteristic of complicated multistate systems, consistent with the hierarchical picture of glassy dynamics. It was also found SBP  that the glass transition occurs in the metallic phase, i.e. at an electron density $`n_g>n_c`$, where $`n_c`$ is the critical density for the MIT determined from the vanishing of activation energy in the insulating regime Pud ; Sha . The intermediate metallic glass (MG) phase is of considerable width in strongly disordered samples ($`(n_gn_c)/n_c0.5`$ SBP ), whereas in devices with low disorder $`n_g`$ is only a few percent higher than $`n_c`$ JJP , in agreement with theory Dar . In this work, we investigate the glass transition in these same high peak mobility (low disorder) devices using noise spectroscopy in a parallel $`B`$. We find that all the signatures of the glass transition in parallel $`B`$ are qualitatively the same as in $`B=0`$, even when the electrons are spin polarized at high $`B`$. We construct a phase diagram in the $`(n_s,B)`$ plane ($`n_s`$ is the electron density), and find that the MG phase is broadened by a parallel $`B`$. The temperature ($`T`$) dependence of the conductivity $`\sigma `$ in the MG at low $`B`$ is similar to the one first observed in the MG phase of highly disordered devices at $`B=0`$ SBP , and it is consistent with theory Den . We show that, at low $`B`$, it also provides evidence for a quantum phase transition (QPT) at $`n_c(B)`$.

The experiment was performed on n-channel Si metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with the peak mobility $`\mu 2.5`$ m2/Vs at 4.2 K, fabricated in a Hall bar geometry with Al gates, and oxide thickness $`d_{ox}=147`$ nm hee . The resistance $`R`$ was measured using a standard four-probe ac technique (typically $`2.7`$ Hz) in the Ohmic regime. A precision DC voltage standard (EDC MV116J) was used to apply the gate voltage, which controls $`n_s`$. We note that $`n_s`$ was always varied at a relatively high $`T2`$ K. Contact resistances and their influence on noise measurements were minimized by using a split-gate geometry, which allows one to maintain high $`n_s`$ ($`10^{12}`$ cm-2) in the contact region while allowing an independent control of $`n_s`$ of the 2D system under investigation in the central part of the sample ($`120\times 50\mu `$m2). The samples and the measurement technique have been described in more detail elsewhere JJP .

For each $`n_s`$ and $`B`$, $`R`$ was measured as a function of time $`t`$ at $`T=0.24`$ K, although measurements at higher $`T`$ were also performed at several selected $`B`$. At $`B=0`$, the temperature coefficient of the time-averaged resistivity $`d\rho /dT=0`$ at $`n_s^{}9.7\times 10^{10}`$cm-2, similar to what was obtained on the previous cooldown of the same sample JJP . At a fixed $`T`$ and in the range of $`n_s`$ under investigation, $`\rho `$ exhibits a dramatic increase with $`B`$, followed by a much weaker dependence (“saturation”) at higher fields ($`B>24`$ T). This large positive magnetoresistance at low $`B`$ has been observed and studied extensively in many 2D systems SAK , including other samples from the same source hee  as ours. In the saturation region, it has been shown pol  that the 2DES is spin polarized.

Figures 1(a) and 1(b) show the time series of the relative changes in resistance $`\mathrm{\Delta }R(t)/R`$ and the corresponding power spectra $`S_R(f)`$, respectively, for a fixed $`n_s`$ and several $`B`$. It is obvious that $`B`$ has a strong effect on both the

amplitude and the character of the noise, as discussed in detail below. In order to compare the noise magnitudes under different conditions, the power $`S_R(f=1`$ mHz) is taken as the measure of noise. It is determined from the fits of the octave-averaged spectra to the form $`1/f^\alpha `$ for $`10^4<f<0.07`$ Hz \[solid lines in Fig. 1(b)\]. In addition, we have also analyzed the so-called second spectrum $`S_2(f_2,f)`$, which is the power spectrum of the fluctuations of $`S_R(f)`$ with time Wei . $`S_2(f_2,f)`$ provides a direct probe of correlations between fluctuators: it is white (independent of $`f_2`$) for uncorrelated, and $`S_21/f_2^{1\beta }`$ for interacting fluctuators Wei . At $`B=0`$, the glass transition in Si MOSFETs was manifested by a sudden and dramatic increase of $`S_R`$, a rapid rise of $`\alpha `$ from $`1`$ to $`1.8`$ SBP ; JJP , and a change of the exponent $`(1\beta )`$ from a white (zero) to a nonwhite (nonzero) value JJP . We adopt similar criteria for the glass transition in $`B`$.

Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c) present the $`B`$-field dependences of $`S_R`$, $`\alpha `$, and $`(1\beta )`$, respectively, for several $`n_s`$. For each $`n_s`$ and $`B`$, $`S_2(f_2,f)`$ was calculated s (2) for three different octaves $`f`$: 2-4 mHz, 4-8 mHz, and 8-16 mHz. In order to reduce the uncertainty in $`(1\beta )`$, the exponent shown in Fig. 2(c) represents the average $`(1\beta )`$ obtained from $`S_2`$ in those three octaves.

At the highest $`n_s`$, in the metallic phase, “pure” $`1/f`$ noise ($`\alpha 1`$) resulting from uncorrelated \[$`(1\beta )0`$\] fluctuators is observed in $`B=0`$ SBP ; JJP . A decreasing $`S_R`$ with $`B`$ in Fig. 2(a) shows that parallel $`B`$ suppresses such noise, the behavior that is already apparent from the raw data \[e.g. bottom two traces in Fig. 1(a)\]. In addition, the exponent $`\alpha `$ is reduced to $`0.5`$ \[Fig. 2(b)\]. The dependence of both $`S_R`$ and $`\alpha `$ on $`B`$ becomes weaker for $`B34`$ T. We note that noise in the metallic phase does not depend on $`n_s`$, similar to the $`B=0`$ case SBP ; JJP . Even though the origin of this noise is not known at the moment, these data should provide a valuable contribution towards understanding the nature of the metallic phase. Pure $`1/f`$ noise in $`B=0`$ has been observed recently also in a 2D hole system in GaAs near the apparent MIT, on the metallic side LHo .

At lower $`n_s`$, the noise at low $`B`$ behaves as described above. However, for each $`n_s`$, there is now a well-defined field $`B_g`$ \[Fig. 2(a)\] where, after the initial decrease with $`B`$, $`S_R`$ begins to increase dramatically, accompanied by a rapid rise of $`\alpha `$ and an increase of $`(1\beta )`$ to nonwhite values, indicative of the onset of strong correlations. This striking change of both the magnitude and character of noise within a narrow range of fields is obvious even from the raw data (e.g. middle two traces in Fig. 1). In analogy with the $`B=0`$ case, we identify $`B_g`$ as the field where glass transition occurs at a given $`n_s`$. At even higher fields ($`B4`$ T), $`S_R`$, $`\alpha `$, and $`(1\beta )`$ no longer depend on $`B`$, consistent with the fact that the electrons are spin polarized. Nevertheless, Fig. 2 shows that the strong dependence of noise on $`n_s`$ is still present for a given $`B`$ in this regime. The dependence of $`S_R`$, $`\alpha `$, and $`(1\beta )`$ on $`n_s`$ is plotted explicitly in Fig. 3 for several $`B`$. The density where $`S_R`$ begins to increase dramatically, accompanied by changes in $`\alpha `$ and $`(1\beta )`$, is identified as the glass transition density $`n_g`$ for a given $`B`$.

The values of $`B_g(n_s)`$ and $`n_g(B)`$ determined in this way have been used to construct a phase diagram in the $`(n_s,B)`$ plane, as shown in Fig. 4. The square symbols designate the boundary of the glassy phase, and clearly show an increase of $`n_g`$ with $`B`$, followed by a saturation at higher fields. It is

interesting to compare the behavior of $`n_g(B)`$ with $`n_c(B)`$. In Ref. Sha , where samples almost identical to ours were used, $`n_c(B)`$ was determined based on both a vanishing activation energy and a vanishing nonlinearity of current-voltage characteristics when extrapolated from the insulating phase. We have used the activation energy method but the range of accessible $`T`$ and $`n_s`$ in our ac measurements was smaller compared to the dc technique and dilution refrigerator $`T`$ (down to 30 mK) used in Ref. Sha . We find that the data that we have available in the insulating regime are best described by $`\sigma \mathrm{exp}[(T_0/T)^n]`$ with $`n=1/2`$, which corresponds to variable-range hopping with a Coulomb gap ES . The extrapolation of $`T_0(n_s)`$ to zero, where only $`n_s`$ with $`T_00.5`$ K were used, was employed to determine $`n_c`$ shown in Fig. 4. Strictly speaking, the rather limited range of data does not allow one to make an accurate distinction between different forms of activated $`\sigma (T)`$. This experimental uncertainty is reflected in rather large error bars for $`n_c`$ shown in Fig. 4. Nevertheless, the agreement between our results and those obtained in Ref. Sha  is remarkably good (Fig. 4).

Furthermore, it was possible for the first time to determine $`n_c`$ in a magnetic field by studying $`\sigma (T)`$ on the *metallic* side of the MIT. In particular, in a relatively narrow range of $`n_s`$ for $`B=1,2,3`$ T, the data are best described by the metallic power-law behavior $`\sigma (n_s,B,T)=\sigma (n_s,B,T=0)+b(n_s,B)T^{1.5}`$ \[Fig. 5(a)\], similar to what was observed in the MG phase of highly disordered samples at $`B=0`$ SBP . The extrapolated $`T=0`$ conductivities go to zero at $`n_c(B)`$ in a power-law fashion $`\sigma (n_s,B,T=0)\delta _n^\mu `$ with $`\mu 1.5`$ \[see Fig. 5(b); $`\delta _n=n_s/n_c(B)1`$\], in agreement with theoretical expectations near a QPT Bel . At $`B=0`$, there is some evidence Fle  of similar behavior with $`\mu 11.5`$, obtained from $`\sigma (T=0)`$ in the metallic phase of different Si MOSFETs. Considering that $`n_c(B)`$ for $`B=1,2,3`$ T shown in Fig. 4 have been obtained by approaching the MIT from the *metallic* side, the agreement between our results and those of Ref. Sha  is

even more remarkable.

The phase diagram in Fig. 4 makes it clear why the metallic $`T^{3/2}`$ temperature dependence of conductivity \[Fig. 5(a)\] is observed in such a narrow range of $`n_s`$: it is characteristic of the metallic glass phase, even in $`B`$ of up to 3 T. At $`B=0`$, the MG phase is very narrow and the $`T^{3/2}`$ correction is, therefore, difficult to observe in these samples, in contrast to highly disordered ones SBP . A parallel $`B`$ increases the width of the MG phase (Fig. 4). In addition, the range of $`T`$ where $`T^{3/2}`$ holds increases with parallel $`B`$ (not shown). The increase of $`n_g`$ and $`n_c`$, and the broadening of the MG phase with $`B`$ can be understood to result from the suppression of screening by a parallel $`B`$ Bsc , which increases the effective disorder. This, in turn, favors glassiness, consistent with theoretical expectations Dar . It is also interesting to note that the prefactor $`b(n_s,B)`$ of the $`T^{3/2}`$ correction \[slopes in Fig. 5(a)\] does not seem to depend on $`n_s`$, in contrast to the strong $`n_s`$-dependence seen in highly disordered (low-mobility) samples at $`B=0`$ SBP . Further careful investigation is required in order to determine whether this difference can be attributed to the effects of $`B`$ or to the effects of disorder. Such a study, however, along with a detailed analysis of $`\sigma (T)`$ in the MG phase at high fields, is beyond the scope of this paper.

In summary, the glass transition in high-mobility Si MOSFETs has been found to persist in high parallel $`B`$, where the 2DES is spin polarized. These results demonstrate that charge, as opposed to spin, degrees of freedom are responsible for glassy ordering of the 2DES near the MIT, consistent with recent theory Pas ; Den ; Dar .

We are grateful to V. Dobrosavljević for useful discussions. This work was supported by NSF grant No. DMR-0071668, and NHMFL through NSF Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-0084173.


text:
# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

Little string theory (LST) is one of the most important examples of non-local theories. This theory arises on the worldvolume of NS5-branes in a decoupling limit where $`g_s0`$ with fixed $`\alpha ^{}`$ . LST’s share many properties with usual string theory, such as T-duality and Hagedorn behavior of density of states, but are nevertheless non-gravitational theories. To study the theory one could use the holographic dual of LST, given in terms of string propagation in the linear dilaton background  along the AdS/CFT correspondence .

Recently there has been an improvement in understanding this correspondence beyond the supergravity limit. In fact it has been conjectured  that string theory on the maximally supersymmetric ten-dimensional plane wave has a description in terms of a certain subsector of the large $`N`$ four-dimensional $`𝒩=4SU(N)`$ supersymmetric gauge theory at weak coupling. More precisely this subsector is parametrized by states with conformal weight $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ carrying $`J`$ units of charge under the $`U(1)`$ subgroup of the $`SU(4)_R`$ R-symmetry of the gauge theory, such that both $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and $`J`$ are parametrically large in the large ‘t Hooft coupling while their difference, $`\mathrm{\Delta }J`$ is finite. Then it has been possible to work out the perturbative string spectrum from gauge theory side. The idea of  is based on the observation that the plane wave background with RR 4-form in type IIB string theory is maximally supersymmetric , solvable  and can be understood as a certain limit (Penrose limit) of $`AdS_5\times S^5`$ geometry .

On the other hand the authors of  identified certain classical solutions representing highly excited string states carrying large angular momentum in the $`AdS_5`$ part of the metric with gauge theory operators with high spin and conformal dimension which is identified with the classical energy of the solution in the global $`AdS`$ coordinates.

In this context the BMN operators  can also be identified with classical solutions of string in $`AdS_5`$ with angular momentum in $`S^5`$ space. Small fluctuations around this classical solution in second order of fluctuation will lead to the corresponding type IIB maximally supersymmetric plane wave . Then the one loop approximation around this classical solution can be used to study the anomalous dimension of the BMN operators. Higher loop approximation can also be used to study the higher order corrections to the anomalous dimension of BMN operators. In fact from string theory point of view there would be corrections controlled by an expansion parameter given by $`\frac{1}{R^2}`$, where $`R^2`$ is the radius of the AdS space. From the gauge theory point of view this leads to the $`\frac{1}{J}`$ perturbative expansion to the anomalous dimensions of the BMN operators.

The idea of  has been generalized for other string/M theory backgrounds in several papers including .

Physically the new scaling limit defined in  opens up new insight about the gauge theory/string theory correspondence. Therefore it would be natural to see whether this strategy can be used for other theories. In fact this is the aim of this paper to explore this idea for LST theory as well as its noncommutative/dipole deformations. We note, however, that the Penrose limit of NS5-brane and its deformation has partially been studied in the literature, for example see .

In this paper we will take the point of view of  to further study this theory. In section 2 we shall consider a classical string solution in the background generated by NS5-brane. Using the quantum correction around this classical solution we have been able to identify a subsector of LST theory which is dual to the string theory on a 4-dimensional plane wave. This subsector is parameterized by energy and angular momentum whose difference receives controllable quantum corrections. In section 3 classical string solution in NS5-brane in the presence of nonzero RR field with all indices along the NS5-brane is studied. In this case we find two different classes of classical solutions which lead to two different plane waves. We will then identify the corresponding subsectors of noncommutative LST theory which are dual to these plane waves. The one loop approximation around these classical solutions has also been studied. In section 4 the same analysis has been considered for dipole deformation of LST. The last section is devoted to conclusions.

## 2  Plane wave from NS5-brane

In this section we shall review the Penrose limit of the NS5-brane supergravity solution in type II string theories . We will show that the corresponding plane wave is the background that a particular classical string solution feels in one loop approximation. This can be used to identify a subsector of LST which is dual to string theory on the obtained plane wave.

The supergravity solution on $`N`$ NS5-branes is given by

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`dt^2+d\stackrel{}{x}^2+f(dr^2+r^2d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2),`$ (1)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`g_s^2f,dB=2Nl_s^2ϵ_3,f=1+{\displaystyle \frac{Nl_s^2}{r^2}},`$ (3)
where $`d\stackrel{}{x}`$ parameterizes a 5-dimensional flat space and $`ϵ_3`$ is the volume of $`d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2`$. In the decoupling limit where $`g_s0`$ and $`l_s=\mathrm{fixed}`$333 Hereafter for simplicity, we set $`l_s=1`$. , setting $`r=g_su`$, the supergravity solution (3) reads

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`dt^2+d\stackrel{}{x}^2+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{u^2}}(du^2+u^2d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2),`$ (4)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{u^2}},dB=2Nϵ_3,`$ (6)
which provides the gravity dual description of LST.

To study the Penrose limit of the above supergravity solution we will first rescale $`t\sqrt{N}t`$ and consider a null geodesic along $`t`$ and $`\psi `$ directions444Here we parameterize the 3-sphere in (6) as $`d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2=d\eta _1^2+\mathrm{cos}^2\eta _1d\eta _2^2+\mathrm{sin}^2\eta _1d\eta _3^2`$. and at a fixed point with respect to other coordinates. In fact we consider a particle moving along $`\eta _2`$ direction and sitting at $`u=u_0`$ and $`\eta _1=0`$. The geometry close to this trajectory can be obtained by the following rescaling

$$t=\frac{1}{2}(x^++\frac{x^{}}{N}),\eta _2=\frac{1}{2}(x^+\frac{x^{}}{N}),\eta _1=\frac{z}{\sqrt{N}},u=\sqrt{N}e^{\rho _0+\rho /\sqrt{N}}.$$
(7)
In large $`N`$ limit keeping $`x^+,x^{}`$ and $`z`$ fixed the solution(6) reads

$$ds^2=dx^+dx^{}\frac{1}{4}z^2(dx^+)^2+d\stackrel{}{z}^2+d\stackrel{}{y}^2,B_{+z_1}=z_2.$$
(8)
with a constant dilaton $`\varphi =\rho _0`$, and $`\stackrel{}{y}=(\rho ,\stackrel{}{x})`$. This provides an exact string background to all orders in worldsheet perturbation theory .

Physically what we have considered is a physical system around the following classical string configuration

$$t=k\tau ,\rho =\rho (\sigma ),\eta _2=\omega \tau .$$
(9)
and all other coordinates are set to zero. This classical solution represents a string stretched along the radial coordinate and rotating along $`\eta _2`$ direction with the angular velocity $`\omega `$. From the LST point of view this corresponds to a subsector of theory parameterized by its energy555 If we want to work with the original coordinate as in (6) the energy $`E`$ needs to be scaled as $`\sqrt{N}E`$., $`E`$ and quantum number $`J`$ such that in large $`N`$ limit both of them grow as $`N`$ while $`EJ`$ is finite. Using the classical action of string one can find a relation between energy, $`E`$, and the angular momentum along the $`\eta _2`$ direction, $`J`$. Doing so in the point like string limit one finds

$$E^2=\frac{N\rho _0^2}{4\pi ^2}+J^2.$$
(10)
The background this state feels is the plane wave (8). To see this let us consider small quantum fluctuations around this classical solution as following

$$t=k\tau +\frac{\stackrel{~}{t}}{\sqrt{N}},\rho =\rho _0+\frac{\stackrel{~}{\rho }}{\sqrt{N}},\eta _2=k\tau +\frac{\stackrel{~}{\eta _2}}{\sqrt{N}},x_i=\stackrel{~}{x_i},\eta _1=\frac{\stackrel{~}{z}_1}{\sqrt{N}},\eta _2=\stackrel{~}{z}_2$$
(11)
Expanding the string action around this classical solution to the second order in fluctuations, one finds:

$`I_{(2)}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle }d^2\xi [_a\stackrel{~}{t}^a\stackrel{~}{t}+_a\stackrel{~}{\eta _2}^a\stackrel{~}{\eta _2}+_a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}^a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_a\stackrel{~}{z}_i^a\stackrel{~}{z}_i+k^2\stackrel{~}{z}^2`$ (13)
$`+4k\stackrel{~}{z_2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1}].`$
This action should be compared with the string action in the plane-wave background (8). To do this let us define the lightcone coordinates $`x^\pm =\eta _2\pm t`$. In these coordinates the expansion must be done around the following classical solution

$$x^+=p^+\tau ,x^{}=\stackrel{}{y}=z_i=0,\rho =\rho _0,p^+=2k.$$
(14)
One can see that in the quantum gauge, $`\stackrel{~}{x}^+=0`$, the action (13) reads

$`I_{(pw)}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle }d^2\xi [_ax^+^ax^{}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}z_i^2_ax^+^ax^++_a\stackrel{}{y}^a\stackrel{}{y}+_az_i^az_i`$ (16)
$`+2B_{+z_1}_\tau x^+_\sigma z_1],`$
which is the string action on the plane wave background (8) in the lightcone gauge.

The energy, $`E`$ and the angular momentum, $`J`$ of the point like string up to the second order will read:

$`E`$ $`={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi }}{\displaystyle 𝑑\sigma (k+_\tau \stackrel{~}{t})},`$ (17)
$`J`$ $`={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi }}{\displaystyle 𝑑\sigma (k+_\tau \stackrel{~}{\eta _2}k\stackrel{~}{z}^2\stackrel{~}{z_2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1})},`$ (18)
therefore we get

$$EJ=\frac{1}{4\pi }𝑑\sigma (2_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+2k\stackrel{~}{z}^2+2\stackrel{~}{z}_2_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1}).$$
(19)
By making use of the Virasoro constraint,

$`2k_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}`$ $``$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{t}_\tau \stackrel{~}{t}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{t}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{t}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{z_i}_\tau \stackrel{~}{z_i}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_i}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_i}`$ (20)
$`+`$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{\eta _2}_\tau \stackrel{~}{\eta _2}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\eta _2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\eta _2})k^2\stackrel{~}{z}^2=0,`$ (21)
one can solve $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}`$ in terms of the second order fluctuations, and thus we find

$`EJ={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi k}}{\displaystyle 𝑑\sigma }`$ $`[`$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}`$ (22)
$`+`$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{z_i}_\tau \stackrel{~}{z_i}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_i}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_i}+k^2\stackrel{~}{z}^2+4k\stackrel{~}{z_2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1}].`$ (23)
The expression in the right hand side is the 2-dimensional transverse Hamiltonian of the worldsheet. By making use of this expression one can find the quantum correction to the classical relation between $`E`$ and $`J`$. In fact one finds

$`EJ`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{n}{}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{N|n|}{J}}N_n^{(6)}+\omega _n^+N_n^++\omega _n^{}N_n^{}\right)`$ (24)
$`\omega _n^\pm `$ $`=`$ $`|1\pm {\displaystyle \frac{Nn}{J}}|,`$ (26)
where $`N_n^{(6)},N_n^+`$ and $`N_n^+`$ are occupation numbers along the 6-dimensional flat space and directions $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ when they are written in normal modes.

Therefore one might conclude that type IIA string theory on the plane wave background (8) is dual to a subsector of LST theory which is parameterized by energy, $`E`$ and angular momentum, $`J`$ such that both of them grow like $`N`$ in large $`N`$ limit while $`EJ`$ is finite and given by (26).

## 3 Plane wave from noncommutative deformation of NS5-brane

In this section we shall consider the Penrose limit of noncommutative deformation of LST theory. This will be done by making use of the supergravity solution of NS5-brane in the presence of nonzero RR field. We will first consider the case where all indices of RR fields are along the NS5-brane worldvolume. In fact these are decoupled theories (ODp) on the worldvolume of type II NS5-branes in the presence of nonzero $`p`$-form RR filed .666For $`p=1,2`$ see also . The excitations of these theories include light open Dp-branes. The gravity description of these theories have been studied in . We could also consider a case where one leg of the RR fields is in the transverse direction which corresponds to the dipole deformation of LST. This case will be studied in the next section.

The gravity description of ODp theory is given by

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`(1+a^2r^2)^{1/2}\left[dt^2+{\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{p}{}}}dx_i^2+{\displaystyle \frac{_{j=p+1}^5dx_j^2}{1+a^2r^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{r^2}}(dr^2+r^2d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2)\right],`$ (27)
$`A_{0\mathrm{}p}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\stackrel{~}{g}}}a^2r^2,A_{(p+1)\mathrm{}5}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\stackrel{~}{g}}}{\displaystyle \frac{a^2r^2}{1+a^2r^2}},`$ (29)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`\stackrel{~}{g}^2{\displaystyle \frac{(1+a^2r^2)^{(p1)/2}}{a^2r^2}},dB=2Nϵ_3,a^2={\displaystyle \frac{l_{\mathrm{eff}}^2}{N}},`$ (31)
where $`l_{\mathrm{eff}}`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{g}`$ are effective string tension and effective string coupling of the theory which are the parameters of the theory after taking the decoupling limit . Here $`ϵ_3`$ is the volume of $`S^3`$ part of the metric.

### 3.1 4-dimensional plane wave

The Penrose limit of background (31) has been studied in  (see also ). The obtained plane wave in this case corresponds to the background which a point like string moving in the 3-sphere feels. In fact to get the corresponding plane wave we first rescale $`t\sqrt{N}t`$ and then consider the following classical string configuration

$$t=k\tau ,\rho =\rho (\sigma ),\eta _2=\omega \tau ,$$
(32)
where $`\rho =\mathrm{ln}(ar)`$. The Nambu-Gotto action for this classical string configuration reads

$$I=\frac{1}{2\pi }\sqrt{N(k^2\omega ^2)}𝑑\rho \sqrt{1+e^{2\rho }},$$
(33)
which in the point like string limit leads to the similar result as (10). Actually the plane wave background seen by the small quantum fluctuations around this classical solution can be obtained from a null geodesic around $`\rho =\rho _0`$=constant . In this case we perform the following coordinate transformations:

$$\begin{array}{cc}\rho =\rho _0+(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\frac{r}{\sqrt{N}},\hfill & x_j=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}w_j,(j=p+1,..,5),\hfill \\ \eta _1=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\frac{z}{\sqrt{N}},\hfill & x_i=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}y_i(i=1,..,p),\hfill \\ t=\frac{1}{2}(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}(x^++\frac{x^{}}{N}),\hfill & \eta _2=\frac{1}{2}(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}(x^+\frac{x^{}}{N}),\hfill \end{array}$$
(34)
and $`\eta _3`$ is kept fixed. One then obtains in the Penrose limit ($`N\mathrm{}`$) a plane wave background as following

$$ds^2=dx^+dx^{}\frac{z^2}{4}dx_{}^{+}{}_{}{}^{2}+d\stackrel{}{z}^2+d\stackrel{}{y}^2,$$
(35)
where $`d\stackrel{}{y}^2=dr^2+d\stackrel{}{w}^2+d\stackrel{}{y}^2`$. Here we have also rescaled the longitudinal coordinates by $`x^\pm x^\pm (1+e^{2\rho _0})^{\pm 1/4}`$. In this limit, one gets also a nonvanishing $`p+1`$ form field and nonzero B field:

$`dA_{+ry_1\mathrm{}y_p}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\stackrel{~}{g}}}e^{2\rho _0}(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{(p+1)/4},`$ (36)
$`A_{(P+1)\mathrm{}5}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\stackrel{~}{g}}}{\displaystyle \frac{e^{2\rho _0}}{1+e^{2\rho _0}}},`$ (38)
$`B_{+z_1}`$ $`=`$ $`(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/2}z_2,`$ (40)
and the constant dilaton after the Penrose limit is given by:

$$e^{2\varphi }=\stackrel{~}{g}^2\frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{(p1)/2}}{e^{2\rho _0}}.$$
(41)
To compare this plane wave solution with that obtained from NS5-brane supergravity background it is constructive to study the small quantum fluctuations around the above classical solution. Consider the following small fluctuations around the classical solution (32)

$$t=k\tau +\stackrel{~}{t},\eta _2=k\tau +\stackrel{~}{\eta _2},\rho =\rho _0+\stackrel{~}{\rho },x_i=\stackrel{~}{y_i},x_j=\stackrel{~}{y_j},\eta _i=\stackrel{~}{z_i},$$
(42)
with $`i=1,\mathrm{},p`$ and $`j=p+1,\mathrm{},5`$. For simplicity we first rescale the coordinates as follows:

$`\stackrel{~}{t}{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}}{\sqrt{N}}}\stackrel{~}{t},\stackrel{~}{x}_i(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\stackrel{~}{y}_i,\stackrel{~}{x}_j(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\stackrel{~}{y}_j,`$ (43)
(44)
$`\stackrel{~}{\rho }{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}}{\sqrt{N}}}\stackrel{~}{\rho },\stackrel{~}{z}_1{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}}{\sqrt{N}}}\stackrel{~}{z}_1,\stackrel{~}{\eta }_2{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}}{\sqrt{N}}}\stackrel{~}{\eta }_2,`$ (45)
and $`\stackrel{~}{z}_2`$ is also rescaled by $`(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}`$. We can now proceed as in the previous section to write the string action up to the second order in fluctuations. The result is:

$`I_{(2)}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle }d^2\xi [`$ $``$ $`_a\stackrel{~}{t}^a\stackrel{~}{t}+_a\stackrel{~}{\eta }_2^a\stackrel{~}{\eta }_2+_a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_i^a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_i+_a\stackrel{~}{z}_i^a\stackrel{~}{z}_i`$ (46)
$`+`$ $`k^2\stackrel{~}{z}^2+{\displaystyle \frac{4k}{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/2}}}\stackrel{~}{z_2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1}],`$ (47)
where $`\stackrel{}{y}=(\rho ,x_i,x_j)`$. To compare this action with the string action on plane wave solution (35) we define the lightcone coordinates as $`x^\pm =\eta _2\pm t`$. In these coordinates the small fluctuations must occur around the following classical solution

$$x^+=p^+\tau ,x^{}=0,x_i=x_j=0,\rho =\rho _0,z_i=0,p^+=2k.$$
(48)
Then in the quantum gauge $`\stackrel{~}{x}^+=0`$ the action (47) reads

$`I_{(pw)}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle d^2\xi }`$ $`[`$ $`_ax^+^ax^{}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}z^2_ax^+^ax^++_ay_i^ay_i+_az_i^az_i`$ (49)
$`+`$ $`2B_{+z_1}_\tau x^+_\sigma z_1],`$ (50)
with $`B_{+z_1}=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/2}z_2`$. We recognize this action as the string action on the plane wave solution (35).

As in the previous section one can write the Virasoro constraint and solve it for $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}`$ in terms of the second order fluctuations. This can be used to find an expression for the energy and angular momentum up to second order in fluctuations. Using the obtained expressions for energy and angular momentum one finds

$`EJ={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi k}}{\displaystyle 𝑑\sigma }`$ $`[`$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{y}_i_\tau \stackrel{~}{y}_i+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{y}_i_\sigma \stackrel{~}{y}_i`$ (51)
$`+`$ $`_\tau \stackrel{~}{z}_i_\tau \stackrel{~}{z}_i+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z}_i_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z}_i+k^2\stackrel{~}{z}^2+{\displaystyle \frac{4k}{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/2}}}\stackrel{~}{z_2}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{z_1}].`$ (52)
Note that the right side in the above equation is the worldsheet Hamiltonian of the transverse fluctuations. Therefore we get777 In writing this expression we have used the relation between string theory parameters and worldvolume parameters as $`P^+=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/2}\frac{2J}{N}`$.

$`EJ`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{n}{}}\left[\sqrt{1+e^{2\rho _0}}{\displaystyle \frac{N|n|}{J}}N_n^{(6)}+\omega _n^+N_n^++\omega _n^{}N_n^{}\right],`$ (53)
$`\omega _n^\pm `$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{1+(1+e^{2\rho _0}){\displaystyle \frac{N^2n^2}{J^2}}\pm 2{\displaystyle \frac{Nn}{J}}},`$ (55)
where $`N_n^{(6)},N_n^+`$ and $`N_n^{}`$ are occupation numbers along the 6-dimensional flat space and directions $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ when they are written in normal modes, respectively. Thus string theory on the plane wave background (35) is dual to a subsector of the noncommutative deformation of LST which is parameterized by energy $`E`$ and a quantum number $`J`$ such that in large $`N`$ limit both of them grow as $`N`$ while $`EJ`$ is finite and given by (55).

### 3.2 3-dimensional plane wave

In comparison with the NS5-brane background the deformed NS5-brane background (31) has an extra parameter corresponding to the RR fields. This parameter can also be thought of as the deformation parameter $`a`$. The presence of RR field will also break the Lorentz symmetry. Therefore it is natural to consider a boost along the direction in which the RR field is defined. This can be thought of as an other Penrose limit of the background. Physically, what we are considering is a fast moving particle along those directions where the RR field is defined. Then we can look at the theory close to the trajectory of this particle which leads to a new plane wave background. In fact what we really have to do is to consider a classical string configuration which is stretched along the radial coordinate and moves in a direction where the RR-field is defined. In the point like limit this would be the physical system we are looking for.

Let us first obtain the corresponding plane wave and then study the semiclassical string solution leading to this plane wave. To find the corresponding plane wave we consider the following rescaling

$$t=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{x^+}{a}+ax^{}\right),x_5=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{x^+}{a}ax^{}\right).$$
(56)
In the limit of $`a0`$ keeping $`g_0=\stackrel{~}{g}/a`$ fixed the supergravity solution (31) for $`p5`$ reads

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`dx^+dx^{}{\displaystyle \frac{r^2}{4}}(dx^+)^2+{\displaystyle \frac{N}{r^2}}dr^2+d\stackrel{}{y}^2+Nd\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2,dB=Nϵ_3,`$ (57)
$`A_{+1\mathrm{}p}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2g_0}}r^2,A_{(p+1)\mathrm{}4+}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2g_0}}r^2,e^{2\varphi }={\displaystyle \frac{g_0^2}{r^2}}.`$ (59)
The case of $`p=1`$ has first been studied in  in the context of lightlike noncommutative geometry. In fact the dual theory we get from this Penrose limit is the lightlike noncommutative deformation of LST. We note also that the obtained plane wave provides a string theory background in which the string theory can be exactly solved. Actually this consists of level $`N`$ $`SU(2)`$ WZW, a three dimensional Liouville plane wave plus 4 free fields theory. The Liouville plane wave background in string theory has recently been considered in  as a background in which the string theory can be exactly solved.

The classical string solution representing a string moving along $`x_5`$ direction and stretched in the radial coordinate is

$$t=k\tau ,r=r(\sigma ),x_5=p\tau .$$
(60)
For point like strings and in the limit where $`a0`$ one find a relation between energy $`E`$ and momentum $`P`$ which is similar to (10). We can also study the small quantum fluctuations around this classical solution. Basically the procedure is very similar to what we have considered in the previous cases. The only point in this case is that the WZW part of the action remains unchanged in the procedure of the expansion. In fact the bosonic part of the action takes the following form

$$I_{\mathrm{total}}=I(t,r,x_i,x_j)+I_{\mathrm{WZW}}$$
(61)
up to an “$`a`$” dependent coefficients in WZW part which is one in $`a0`$ limit. The first term is also given by

$$I=\frac{1}{4\pi }d^2\xi \left[(1+a^2r^2)^{1/2}(_\alpha t^\alpha t+_\alpha x_i^\alpha x_i+\frac{_\alpha x_j^\alpha x_j}{1+a^2r^2}+\frac{N}{r^2}_\alpha r^\alpha r)\right],$$
(62)
which up to second order in the fluctuations around the above classical solution, $`t=k\tau +\stackrel{~}{t},x_5=k\tau +\stackrel{~}{x}_5,r=\stackrel{~}{r}`$, reads

$$I_{(2)}=d^2\xi \left[_\alpha \stackrel{~}{t}^\alpha \stackrel{~}{t}+_\alpha \stackrel{~}{x}_5^\alpha \stackrel{~}{x}_5+\frac{N}{\stackrel{~}{r}^2}_\alpha \stackrel{~}{r}^\alpha \stackrel{~}{r}+_\alpha \stackrel{~}{y}_i^\alpha \stackrel{~}{y}_i+m^2\stackrel{~}{r}^2\right],$$
(63)
where $`y_i,i=1,\mathrm{},4`$ represents the four transverse directions to the plane wave. Note also that to get the above action we have taken into account the limit of $`a0`$ while kept $`m:=ka`$ fixed. It is easy to see that this action plus the WZW part is the bosonic part action of string in the plane wave background (59). One could proceed to compute $`E`$ and $`J`$ and thereby to find the quantum correction to $`EJ`$. This would of course get corrections from different parts of the action; contributions from 4 free fields theory, 3-dimensional Liouville plane wave and $`SU(2)`$ WZW. It would be interesting to find each contribution explicitly.

## 4 Plane wave from dipole deformation of NS5-brane

The dipole deformation of LST can be described by the supergravity solution of type IIB NS5-branes in the presence of an RR 2-form potential with one leg along the brane and the other along the transverse directions888For definition of dipole field theory and its relevance to string theory see, for example, -.. We can also make a series of T-duality transformations to produce a new supergravity solution. This supergravity solution describes type II NS5-branes in the presence of RR $`(6p)`$-form, for $`p=0\mathrm{}4`$, with one leg along the transverse directions and $`(5p)`$ legs along the NS5-branes worldvolume. The corresponding supergravity solution in the decoupling limit is given by

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`(1+r^2L^2)^{1/2}[dt^2{\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{p}{}}}dx_i^2{\displaystyle \frac{_{j=p+1}^5dx_j^2}{1+r^2L^2}}`$ (64)
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{r^2}}(dr^2+r^2d\mathrm{\Omega }_3{\displaystyle \frac{r^4L^2}{1+r^2L^2}}(a_1d\theta _1+a_2d\theta _2+a_3d\theta _3)^2)],`$ (66)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{r^2}}(1+r^2L^2)^{(p2)/2},`$ (68)
$`{\displaystyle \underset{a=6}{\overset{9}{}}}A_{(p+1)\mathrm{}5\theta _a}d\theta _a`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{r^2L}{1+r^2L^2}}(a_1d\theta _1+a_2d\theta _2+a_3d\theta _3),`$ (70)
where $`\theta _i`$’s are angular coordinates parameterizing the sphere $`S^3`$ transverse to the NS5-branes999Note that here we used a parameterization such that in terms of $`\theta _i`$’s the metric of 3-sphere is given by $`d\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2=d\theta _1^2+\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _1d\theta _2^2+\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _1\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _2d\theta _3^2`$., and

$$a_1=\mathrm{cos}\theta _2,a_2=\mathrm{sin}\theta _1\mathrm{cos}\theta _1\mathrm{sin}\theta _2,a_3=\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _1\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _2.$$
(71)
Here $`L`$ is the effective dipole moment. There is also a two form $`B`$ field representing the charge of the NS5-branes which is given by $`dB=2Nϵ_3`$. Note that the above solution is maximally supersymmetric which means that the solution preserves 8 supercharges.

### 4.1 4-dimensional plane wave

Let us first study the system close to the trajectory of a point like string moving in a direction of 3-sphere transverse to the NS5-brane. The background this state feels would be a plane wave solution. To find this plane wave we first rescale $`t\sqrt{N}t`$ and define a new radial coordinate $`\rho `$ as $`Lr=e^\rho `$. In these coordinates the supergravity solution (70) reads

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`(1+e^{2\rho })^{1/2}[Ndt^2+{\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{p}{}}}dx_i^2+{\displaystyle \frac{_{j=p+1}^5dx_j^2}{1+e^{2\rho }}}`$ (72)
$`+`$ $`Nd\rho ^2+Nd\mathrm{\Omega }_3{\displaystyle \frac{Ne^{2\rho }}{1+e^{2\rho }}}(a_1d\theta _1+a_2d\theta _2+a_3d\theta _3)^2],`$ (74)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`g_s^2{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho })^{(p2)/2}}{e^{2\rho }}},`$ (76)
$`{\displaystyle \underset{a=1}{\overset{3}{}}}A_{(p+1)\mathrm{}5\theta _a}d\theta _a`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{e^{2\rho }}{L(1+e^{2\rho })}}(a_1d\theta _1+a_2d\theta _2+a_3d\theta _3).`$ (78)
Now we will consider a null geodesic in $`(t,\theta _3)`$ directions around $`\rho =\rho _0`$=constant. In this case we perform the following coordinate transformations

$$\begin{array}{cc}\rho =\rho _0+(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\frac{r}{\sqrt{N}},\hfill & x_j=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}w_j,(j=p+1,..,5),\hfill \\ \theta _\alpha =(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}\frac{z_\alpha }{\sqrt{N}},\hfill & x_i=(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}y_i(i=1,..,p),\hfill \\ t=\frac{1}{2}(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}(x^++\frac{x^{}}{N}),\hfill & \theta _3=\frac{1}{2}(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{1/4}(x^+\frac{x^{}}{N}),\hfill \end{array}$$
(79)
with $`\alpha =1,2`$. In the limit of $`N\mathrm{}`$ we find the following plane wave from the supergravity solution (78)

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`dx^+dx^{}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\left((1+e^{2\rho _0})z_1^2+z_2^2\right)(dx^+)^2+d\stackrel{}{z}^2+d\stackrel{}{y}^2,`$ (80)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`g_s^2{\displaystyle \frac{(1+e^{2\rho _0})^{(p2)/2}}{e^{2\rho _0}}},B_{+z_1}=z_2,`$ (81)
where $`d\stackrel{}{y}^2=dr^2+dy_i^2+dw_j^2`$. This 4-dimensional plane wave is very similar to that in LST case. Of course unlike the LST case, in this case $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ have different masses which is the effect of dipole deformation.

The corresponding classical string solution is

$$t=k\tau \rho =\rho (\sigma ),\theta _3=\omega \tau ,$$
(82)
which in the point like limit leads to the above plane wave at second order in fluctuations. To see this we consider the small fluctuations around this classical solution. In the one loop approximation one gets

$`I_2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\pi }}{\displaystyle }d^2\xi [_a\stackrel{~}{x}^+^a\stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}^a\stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_a\stackrel{~}{\theta }_i^a\stackrel{~}{\theta }_i+k^2((1+e^{2\rho _0})\stackrel{~}{\theta }_1^2+\stackrel{~}{\theta }_2^2)`$ (84)
$`\mathrm{\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}\hspace{0.33em}2}k\stackrel{~}{\theta }_2_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\theta }_1],`$
which is equivalent to the bosonic part of the string action on the plane wave background (81). As in the previous cases one can also write the expressions for energy and angular momentum in terms of the transverse modes. Using the Virasoro constraint in the one loop approximation one finds:

$`EJ`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi k}}{\displaystyle }d\sigma [_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\tau \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{x}^{}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\tau \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\stackrel{}{y}}+_\tau \stackrel{~}{\theta }_i_\tau \stackrel{~}{\theta }_i`$ (86)
$`+_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\theta }_i_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\theta }_i+k^2[(1+e^{2\rho _0})\stackrel{~}{\theta }_1^2+\stackrel{~}{\theta }_2^2]+4k\stackrel{~}{\theta }_2_\sigma \stackrel{~}{\theta }_1].`$
We note that the right hand side is the Hamiltonian of the transverse fluctuations. Therefore we find

$$EJ=\underset{n}{}\left[\sqrt{1+e^{2\rho _0}}\frac{N|n|}{J}N_n^{(6)}+\omega _n^+N_n^++\omega _n^{}N_n^{}\right],$$
(87)
where $`N_n^{(6)}`$ is the occupation number of the 6 transverse directions and $`N_n^\pm `$ is occupation number along $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ when they are written in normal mode representation. The $`\omega ^\pm `$ is given by

$$\omega _n^\pm =\left(1+\frac{e^{2\rho _0}}{2}+(1+e^{2\rho _0})\frac{N^2n^2}{J^2}\pm \sqrt{(1+e^{2\rho _0})\frac{4N^2n^2}{J^2}+\frac{e^{4\rho _0}}{4}}\right)^{1/2}.$$
(88)
Thus one may conclude that string theory on the plane wave background (81) is dual to a subsector of dipole deformation of LST parameterized by energy, $`E`$ and angular momentum, $`J`$ which at large $`N`$ limit both of them grow as $`N`$ while $`EJ`$ is finite and given by (87).

### 4.2 3-dimensional plane wave

Let us now study a point like string moving in $`x_5`$ direction and look at the physics close to the trajectory of this point like string. To study the system near this trajectory we perform the following rescaling

$$t=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{x^+}{L}+Lx^{}\right),x_5=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{x^+}{L}Lx^{}\right).$$
(89)
In the limit of of $`L0`$ the supergravity solution (70) reads

$`ds^2`$ $`=`$ $`dx^+dx^{}{\displaystyle \frac{r^2}{4}}(dx^+)^2+N{\displaystyle \frac{dr^2}{r^2}}+Nd\mathrm{\Omega }_3^2+{\displaystyle \underset{i=1}{\overset{4}{}}}dx_i^2,`$ (90)
$`e^{2\varphi }`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{N}{r^2}},{\displaystyle \underset{a}{}}A_{(p+1)\mathrm{}4\theta _a+}d\theta _a={\displaystyle \frac{r^2}{2}}(a_1d\theta _1+a_2d\theta _2+a_3d\theta _3),`$ (92)
and the B field remains unchanged.

This plane wave solution has been studied in  in the context of lightlike dipole deformation of LST theory (see also ). Note that the metric, dilaton and B field in the plane wave solution (92) are the same as in the plane wave solution coming from lightlike noncommutative deformation of LST theory (59) and the only difference is in the RR fields. This means that as far as the bosonic part of the string theory on these backgrounds is concerned both of them give the same result. But of course the fermionic parts will be different. It is also worth noting that there is a nonzero RR field with one leg along the the direction where the WZW part of the theory is defined, i.e. the 3-sphere. This could also deform the $`SU(2)`$ WZW model as well. Therefore the three different parts of the theory contributing to the correction of $`EJ`$ are as following: 4 free fields theory, 3-dimensional Liouville plane wave and deformed $`SU(2)`$ WZW. Since the RR field has only one leg along the 3-sphere one might suspect that the corresponding deformation is dipole deformation. It would be interesting to study this model in more detail.

## 5 Conclusion

In this paper we have studied different Penrose limits of type II NS5-brane solution in the presence of different RR fields. We have seen that although for NS5-brane we get only one plane wave, for the case with RR field two different plane waves can be obtained. Interestingly enough all of these plane waves lead to exactly solvable string theory backgrounds.

We have also considered the semiclassical string configuration on the backgrounds generated by NS5-brane as well as NS5-brane in the presence of different nonzero RR fields. These string solutions give at one loop approximation the obtained plane wave from the corresponding geometry. This has been used to identified a subsector of LST/deformed LST which is dual to the string theory in the corresponding plane wave background.

For all cases there is a Penrose limit leading to a 4-dimensional plane wave. In this case the subsector of LST, noncommutative LST and dipole LST is parameterized by energy and angular momentum. In all cases both energy and angular momentum grow as $`N`$ in large $`N`$ limit while their differences remain finite. In fact we have written a closed form expression for $`EJ`$ in all cases. Actually, we have found that the subsector of LST theory is a set of operators carrying angular momentum $`J`$ of $`U(1)`$ subgroup of the global symmetry $`SO(4)`$ with energy $`E`$ such that

$`EJ`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{n}{}}\left[\sqrt{1+e^{2\rho _0}}{\displaystyle \frac{N|n|}{J}}N_n^{(6)}+\omega _n^+N_n^++\omega _n^{}N_n^{}\right],`$ (93)
$`\omega _n^\pm `$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{1+(1+e^{2\rho _0}){\displaystyle \frac{N^2n^2}{J^2}}\pm 2{\displaystyle \frac{Nn}{J}}}.`$ (95)
To compare the subsector of deformed LST with the subsector of LST we observe that the factor $`1+e^{2\rho _0}`$ in (55) and (87) plays the role of the deformation. For small deformation where $`e^{\rho _0}1`$, the corresponding subsectors have the following deviation from the LST

$`(EJ)_{\mathrm{NC}\mathrm{LST}}`$ $`=`$ $`(EJ)_{\mathrm{LST}}+{\displaystyle \frac{e^{2\rho _0}}{2}}{\displaystyle \underset{n}{}}\left[{\displaystyle \frac{N|n|}{J}}N_n^{(6)}+{\displaystyle \frac{N^2n^2}{J^2}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{N_n^+}{\omega _n^+}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N_n^{}}{\omega _n^{}}}\right)\right],`$ (96)
$`(EJ)_{\mathrm{DI}\mathrm{LST}}`$ $`=`$ $`(EJ)_{\mathrm{LST}}+{\displaystyle \frac{e^{2\rho _0}}{2}}{\displaystyle \underset{n}{}}\left[(EJ)_{\mathrm{LST}}+{\displaystyle \frac{N^2n^2}{J^2}}\left(N_n^++N_n^{}\right)\right],`$ (98)
up to second order in fluctuations and first order in the noncommutative/dipole deformations.

The next step, of course, would be to write the explicit form of the corresponding operators. These operators must be made out of the field content of LST theory. For example consider type IIA NS5-brane. In this case the bosonic part of the theory contains an anti-symmetric self-dual two form $`B_{\alpha \beta },\alpha =0,\mathrm{},5`$, 2 complex scalars and one real scalar (dilaton). Suppose $`Z_1`$ is a complex scalar carrying one unit of $`U(1)`$ charge. Therefore one would expect that the vacuum to be constructed from $`\mathrm{Tr}(Z_1^J)`$. Of course, since the theory is not conformal one can not identify the energy with dimension of the operator. Nevertheless, following  one could guess that the other stringy states can be constructed by inserting either the other scalar or $`B_{\alpha \beta }`$. It would be quite interesting and also important to study these operators in detail. Among all other things this could increase our knowledge about LST theory. We hope to address this question in future.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank S. Parvizi for useful discussions. We would also like to thank Carlos Nunez and Mohammad M. Sheikh-Jabbari for useful comments.