Abstract:
Recently, it has been realized that the bulk dual of the double-scaled SYK (DSSYK) model has both positive and negative Ricci curvature and is described by a dilaton-gravity theory with a sin(Phi) potential. We study T^2-deformations in the DSSYK model after performing the ensemble averaging to probe regions of positive and approximately constant curvature. The dual finite cutoff interpretation of the deformation allows us to place the DSSYK model in the stretched horizon of the bulk geometry, realizing a conjecture of Susskind. We show that the energy spectrum is well-defined for a contour reaching these regions. Importantly, the system displays a phase transition from a thermo...