On the exact spectrum and mirror duality of the (AdS_5 x S^5)_eta superstring

Abstract: We discuss the spectrum of a string propagating on eta-deformed AdS_5 x S^5 by treating its world-sheet theory as an integrable quantum field theory. The exact S-matrix of this field theory is given by a q-deformation of the AdS_5 x S^5 world-sheet S-matrix with real deformation parameter. By considering mirror (double Wick-rotated) versions of these world-sheet theories we give the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz description of their exact finite size spectra. Interestingly, this class of models maps onto itself under the mirror transformation. At the level of the string this appears to say that the light-cone worldsheet theories of strings on particular pairs of backgrounds are related by a double Wick rotation, a feature we call 'mirror duality'. We provide a partial check of these statements at the level of the sigma model by considering reduced actions and their corresponding (mirror) giant magnon solutions.