T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ -like flows in non-linear electrodynamic theories and S-duality

Abstract We investigate the T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ -like flows for non-linear electrodynamic theories in D(=2n)-dimensional spacetime. Our analysis is restricted to the deformation problem of the classical free action by employing the proposed T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ operator from a simple integration technique. We show that this flow equation is compatible with T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ deformation of a scalar field theory in D = 2 and of a non-linear Born-Infeld type theory in D = 4 dimensions. However, our computation discloses that this kind of T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ flow in higher dimensions is essentially different from deformation that has been derived from the AdS/CFT interpretations. Indeed, the gravity that may be exist as a holographic dual theory of this kind of effective Born-Infeld action is not necessarily an AdS space. As an illustrative investigation in D = 4, we shall also show that our construction for the T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ operator preserves the original SL(2, ℝ) symmetry of a non-supersymmetric Born-Infeld theory, as well as N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 supersymmetric model. It is shown that the corresponding SL(2, ℝ) invariant action fixes the relationship between the T T ¯ $$ T\overline{T} $$ operator and quadratic form of the energy-momentum tensor in D = 4.