One approach to formulating string theory and studying its properties is provided by the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence. This is a theoretical result whichthat implies that string theory is in some cases equivalent to a quantum field theory. In addition to providing insights into the mathematical structure of string theory, the AdS/CFT correspondence has shed light on many aspects of quantum field theory in regimes where traditional calculational techniques are ineffective.<ref name="Klebanov and Maldacena 2009"/> The AdS/CFT correspondence was first proposed by [[Juan Maldacena]] in late 1997.<ref name=Maldacena1998/> Important aspects of the correspondence were elaborated in articles by [[Steven Gubser]], [[Igor Klebanov]], and [[Alexander Markovich Polyakov]],<ref name=Gubser/> and by Edward Witten.<ref name=Witten1998/> By 2010, Maldacena's article had over 7000 citations, becoming the most highly cited article in the field of [[high energy physics]].{{efn|{{cite web |url=http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2010/eprints/to_hep-th_annual.shtml |title=Top Cited Articles during 2010 in hep-th |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |access-date=25 July 2013}}}}
