14 research outputs found
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
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
Supersymmetry Breaking in Chern-Simons-matter Theories
Some of supersymmetric Chern-Simons theories are known to exhibit
supersymmetry breaking when the Chern-Simons level is less than a certain
number. The mechanism of the supersymmetry breaking is, however, not clear from
the field theory viewpoint. In this paper, we discuss vacuum states of pure Chern-Simons theory and Chern-Simons-matter theories of
quiver type using related theories in which Chern-Simons terms are replaced
with (anti-)fundamental chiral multiplets. In the latter theories,
supersymmetry breaking can be shown to occur by examining that the vacuum
energy is non-zero.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, v2) references adde
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
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