230 research outputs found
Interacting fermions and N=2 Chern-Simons-matter theories
The partition function on the three-sphere of N=3 Chern-Simons-matter
theories can be formulated in terms of an ideal Fermi gas. In this paper we
show that, in theories with N=2 supersymmetry, the partition function
corresponds to a gas of interacting fermions in one dimension. The large N
limit is the thermodynamic limit of the gas and it can be analyzed with the
Hartree and Thomas-Fermi approximations, which lead to the known large N
solutions of these models. We use this interacting fermion picture to analyze
in detail N=2 theories with one single node. In the case of theories with no
long-range forces we incorporate exchange effects and argue that the partition
function is given by an Airy function, as in N=3 theories. For the theory with
g adjoint superfields and long-range forces, the Thomas-Fermi approximation
leads to an integral equation which determines the large N, strongly coupled
R-charge.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figure
Comments on F-maximization and R-symmetry in 3D SCFTs
We report preliminary results on the recently proposed F-maximization
principle in 3D SCFTs. We compute numerically in the large-N limit the free
energy on the three-sphere of an N=2 Chern-Simons-Matter theory with a single
adjoint chiral superfield which is known to exhibit a pattern of accidental
symmetries associated to chiral superfields that hit the unitarity bound and
become free. We observe that the F-maximization principle produces a U(1)
R-symmetry consistent with previously obtained bounds but inconsistent with a
postulated Seiberg-like duality. Potential modifications of the principle
associated to the decoupling fields do not appear to be sufficient to account
for the observed violations.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures; v2 a reference has been added, a missing factor
of 2 has been corrected in eq (3.3) and the numerical results have been
accordingly updated. The new results do not show any obvious signs of
violation of previously obtained bounds. A potential disagreement with a
postulated Seiberg-like duality is note
Matrix Models for Supersymmetric Chern-Simons Theories with an ADE Classification
We consider N=3 supersymmetric Chern-Simons (CS) theories that contain
product U(N) gauge groups and bifundamental matter fields. Using the matrix
model of Kapustin, Willett and Yaakov, we examine the Euclidean partition
function of these theories on an S^3 in the large N limit. We show that the
only such CS theories for which the long range forces between the eigenvalues
cancel have quivers which are in one-to-one correspondence with the simply
laced affine Dynkin diagrams. As the A_n series was studied in detail before,
in this paper we compute the partition function for the D_4 quiver. The D_4
example gives further evidence for a conjecture that the saddle point
eigenvalue distribution is determined by the distribution of gauge invariant
chiral operators. We also see that the partition function is invariant under a
generalized Seiberg duality for CS theories.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figures; v2 refs added; v3 conventions in figure 3
altered, version to appear in JHE
Instantons on ALE spaces and orbifold partitions
We consider N=4 theories on ALE spaces of type. As is well known,
their partition functions coincide with affine characters. We show
that these partition functions are equal to the generating functions of some
peculiar classes of partitions which we introduce under the name 'orbifold
partitions'. These orbifold partitions turn out to be related to the
generalized Frobenius partitions introduced by G. E. Andrews some years ago. We
relate the orbifold partitions to the blended partitions and interpret
explicitly in terms of a free fermion system.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures; reference adde
Large N Free Energy of 3d N=4 SCFTs and AdS/CFT
We provide a non-trivial check of the AdS_4/CFT_3 correspondence recently
proposed in arXiv:1106.4253 by verifying the GKPW relation in the large N
limit. The CFT free energy is obtained from the previous works
(arXiv:1105.2551, arXiv:1105.4390) on the S^3 partition function for
3-dimensional N=4 SCFT T[SU(N)]. This is matched with the computation of the
type IIB action on the corresponding gravity background. We unexpectedly find
that the leading behavior of the free energy at large N is 1/2 N^2 ln N. We
also extend our results to richer theories and argue that 1/2 N^2 ln N is the
maximal free energy at large N in this class of gauge theories.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure
Refined Checks and Exact Dualities in Three Dimensions
We discuss and provide nontrivial evidence for a large class of dualities in
three-dimensional field theories with different gauge groups. We match the full
partition functions of the dual phases for any value of the couplings to
underpin our proposals. We focus on two classes of models. The first class,
motivated by the AdS/CFT conjecture, consists of necklace U(N) quiver gauge
theories with non chiral matter fields. We also consider orientifold
projections and establish dualities among necklace quivers with alternating
orthogonal and symplectic groups. The second class consists of theories with
tensor matter fields with free theory duals. In most of these cases the
R-symmetry mixes with IR accidental symmetries and we develop the prescription
to include their contribution into the partition function and the extremization
problem accordingly.Comment: 38 pages, 3 figure, using jheppu
The ABCDEF's of Matrix Models for Supersymmetric Chern-Simons Theories
We consider N = 3 supersymmetric Chern-Simons gauge theories with product
unitary and orthosymplectic groups and bifundamental and fundamental fields. We
study the partition functions on an S^3 by using the Kapustin-Willett-Yaakov
matrix model. The saddlepoint equations in a large N limit lead to a constraint
that the long range forces between the eigenvalues must cancel; the resulting
quiver theories are of affine Dynkin type. We introduce a folding/unfolding
trick which lets us, at the level of the large N matrix model, (i) map quivers
with orthosymplectic groups to those with unitary groups, and (ii) obtain
non-simply laced quivers from the corresponding simply laced quivers using a
Z_2 outer automorphism. The brane configurations of the quivers are described
in string theory and the folding/unfolding is interpreted as the
addition/subtraction of orientifold and orbifold planes. We also relate the
U(N) quiver theories to the affine ADE quiver matrix models with a
Stieltjes-Wigert type potential, and derive the generalized Seiberg duality in
2 + 1 dimensions from Seiberg duality in 3 + 1 dimensions.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figure
The Large N Limit of Toric Chern-Simons Matter Theories and Their Duals
We compute the large N limit of the localized three dimensional free energy
of various field theories with known proposed AdS duals. We show that
vector-like theories agree with the expected supergravity results, and with the
conjectured F-theorem. We also check that the large N free energy is preserved
by the three dimensional Seiberg duality for general classes of vector like
theories. Then we analyze the behavior of the free energy of chiral-like
theories by applying a new proposal. The proposal is based on the restoration
of a discrete symmetry on the free energy before the extremization. We apply
this procedure at strong coupling in some examples and we discuss the results.
We conclude the paper by proposing an alternative geometrical expression for
the free energy.Comment: 40 pages, 7 figures, using jheppub.sty, references adde
Exact Results in D=2 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories
We compute exactly the partition function of two dimensional N=(2,2) gauge
theories on S^2 and show that it admits two dual descriptions: either as an
integral over the Coulomb branch or as a sum over vortex and anti-vortex
excitations on the Higgs branches of the theory. We further demonstrate that
correlation functions in two dimensional Liouville/Toda CFT compute the S^2
partition function for a class of N=(2,2) gauge theories, thereby uncovering
novel modular properties in two dimensional gauge theories. Some of these gauge
theories flow in the infrared to Calabi-Yau sigma models - such as the conifold
- and the topology changing flop transition is realized as crossing symmetry in
Liouville/Toda CFT. Evidence for Seiberg duality in two dimensions is exhibited
by demonstrating that the partition function of conjectured Seiberg dual pairs
are the same.Comment: 78 pages, LaTeX; v2: small corrections and references added; v3: JHEP
version, discussing factorization further in new appendix F; v4: sign
corrected for non simply-connected gauge grou
From Necklace Quivers to the F-theorem, Operator Counting, and T(U(N))
The matrix model of Kapustin, Willett, and Yaakov is a powerful tool for
exploring the properties of strongly interacting superconformal Chern-Simons
theories in 2+1 dimensions. In this paper, we use this matrix model to study
necklace quiver gauge theories with {\cal N}=3 supersymmetry and U(N)^d gauge
groups in the limit of large N. In its simplest application, the matrix model
computes the free energy of the gauge theory on S^3. The conjectured F-theorem
states that this quantity should decrease under renormalization group flow. We
show that for a simple class of such flows, the F-theorem holds for our
necklace theories. We also provide a relationship between matrix model
eigenvalue distributions and numbers of chiral operators that we conjecture
holds more generally. Through the AdS/CFT correspondence, there is therefore a
natural dual geometric interpretation of the matrix model saddle point in terms
of volumes of 7-d tri-Sasaki Einstein spaces and some of their 5-d
submanifolds. As a final bonus, our analysis gives us the partition function of
the T(U(N)) theory on S^3.Comment: 3 figures, 41 pages; v2 minor improvements, refs adde
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