Form factors and scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM in dimensional and massive regularizations

Abstract

The IR-divergent scattering amplitudes of N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory can be regulated in a variety of ways, including dimensional regularization and massive (or Higgs) regularization. The IR-finite part of an amplitude in different regularizations generally differs by an additive constant at each loop order, due to the ambiguity in separating finite and divergent contributions. We give a prescription for defining an unambiguous, regulator-independent finite part of the amplitude by factoring off a product of IR-divergent "wedge" functions. For the cases of dimensional regularization and the common-mass Higgs regulator, we define the wedge function in terms of a form factor, and demonstrate the regularization independence of the n-point amplitude through two loops. We also deduce the form of the wedge function for the more general differential-mass Higgs regulator, although we lack an explicit operator definition in this case. Finally, using extended dual conformal symmetry, we demonstrate the link between the differential-mass wedge function and the anomalous dual conformal Ward identity for the finite part of the scattering amplitude.

29 pages, 4 figures; v2: references added