Monopole operators in three-dimensional N=4 SYM and mirror symmetry

We study non-abelian monopole operators in the infrared limit of three-dimensional SU(N_c) and N=4 SU(2) gauge theories. Using large N_f expansion and operator-state isomorphism of the resulting superconformal field theories, we construct monopole operators which are (anti-)chiral primaries and compute their charges under the global symmetries. Predictions of three-dimensional mirror symmetry for the quantum numbers of these monopole operators are verified.Comment: 23 pages, LaTex; v2: section 3.4 modified, section 3.5 extended, references adde

Algebraic vortex liquid theory of a quantum antiferromagnet on the kagome lattice

There is growing evidence from both experiment and numerical studies that low half-odd integer quantum spins on a kagome lattice with predominant antiferromagnetic near neighbor interactions do not order magnetically or break lattice symmetries even at temperatures much lower than the exchange interaction strength. Moreover, there appear to be a plethora of low energy excitations, predominantly singlets but also spin carrying, which suggest that the putative underlying quantum spin liquid is a gapless ``critical spin liquid'' rather than a gapped spin liquid with topological order. Here, we develop an effective field theory approach for the spin-1/2 Heisenberg model with easy-plane anisotropy on the kagome lattice. By employing a vortex duality transformation, followed by a fermionization and flux-smearing, we obtain access to a gapless yet stable critical spin liquid phase, which is described by (2+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics (QED$_3$) with an emergent $\mathrm{SU}(8)$ flavor symmetry. The specific heat, thermal conductivity, and dynamical structure factor are extracted from the effective field theory, and contrasted with other theoretical approaches to the kagome antiferromagnet.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

AdS_4/CFT_3 -- Squashed, Stretched and Warped

We use group theoretic methods to calculate the spectrum of short multiplets around the extremum of N=8 gauged supergravity potential which possesses N=2 supersymmetry and SU(3) global symmetry. Upon uplifting to M-theory, it describes a warped product of AdS_4 and a certain squashed and stretched 7-sphere. We find quantum numbers in agreement with those of the gauge invariant operators in the N=2 superconformal Chern-Simons theory recently proposed to be the dual of this M-theory background. This theory is obtained from the U(N)xU(N) theory through deforming the superpotential by a term quadratic in one of the superfields. To construct this model explicitly, one needs to employ monopole operators whose complete understanding is still lacking. However, for the U(2)xU(2) gauge theory we make a proposal for the form of the monopole operators which has a number of desired properties. In particular, this proposal implies enhanced symmetry of the U(2)xU(2) ABJM theory for k=1,2; it makes its similarity to and subtle difference from the BLG theory quite explicit.Comment: 32 pages, v2: references added, minor changes, v3: some clarifications, published versio

Notes on adding D6 branes wrapping RP3 in AdS4 x CP3

We deform the N=6 Chern Simons theory by adding extra matter hypermultiplets in a fundamental representation of one or both gauge groups. We compute the quantum corrected moduli space. We verify that the holographic dual of the modified theory consists of the usual AdS4 x CP3 background in presence of AdS4 filling D6 branes which wrap RP3 in CP3. We extend the correspondence to a similar modification of more general known N=3 dual pairsComment: 16 pages. v2: a reference, the name of a manifold, minor typos correcte

Anyons, 't Hooft loops and a Generalized Connection in Three Dimensions

We consider a generalized connection in three dimensions and show that it emerges in Chern-Simons-Maxwell theories when one studies the disorder instanton operator. We generalize this construction to non-Abelian theories and find that the disorder operator (the 't Hooft operator) is equivalent to a generalized Wilson loop in a representation that depends on the Chern-Simons term. We speculate about the effective action of the disorder operator and its applications to the possible phases of the theory in the infra-red. We also show that fractional statistics can emerge in gauge theories without a Chern-Simons term if the generalized connection rather than the ordinary connection is used to couple charged particles.Comment: 17 pages, typos corrected, ref. adde

Notes on Supersymmetry Enhancement of ABJM Theory

We study the supersymmetry enhancement of ABJM theory. Starting from a ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric Chern-Simons matter theory with gauge group U(2)$\times$U(2) which is a truncated version of the ABJM theory, we find by using the monopole operator that there is additional ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetry related to the gauge group. We show this additional supersymmetry can combine with ${\cal N}=6$ supersymmetry of the original ABJM theory to an enhanced ${\cal N}=8$ SUSY with gauge group U(2)$\times$U(2) in the case $k=1,2$. We also discuss the supersymmetry enhancement of the ABJM theory with U($N$)$\times$U($N$) gauge group and find a condition which should be satisfied by the monopole operator.Comment: 23 pages, no figure, minor corrections, version to appear in JHE

The Partonic Nature of Instantons

In both Yang-Mills theories and sigma models, instantons are endowed with degrees of freedom associated to their scale size and orientation. It has long been conjectured that these degrees of freedom have a dual interpretation as the positions of partonic constituents of the instanton. These conjectures are usually framed in d=3+1 and d=1+1 dimensions respectively where the partons are supposed to be responsible for confinement and other strong coupling phenomena. We revisit this partonic interpretation of instantons in the context of d=4+1 and d=2+1 dimensions. Here the instantons are particle-like solitons and the theories are non-renormalizable. We present an explicit and calculable model in d=2+1 dimensions where the single soliton in the CP^N sigma-model can be shown to be a multi-particle state whose partons are identified with the ultra-violet degrees of freedom which render the theory well-defined at high energies. We introduce a number of methods which reveal the partons inside the soliton, including deforming the sigma model and a dual version of the Bogomolnyi equations. We conjecture that partons inside Yang-Mills instantons hold the key to understanding the ultra-violet completion of five-dimensional gauge theories.Comment: 28 pages. v3: extra references and comments. Mathematica notebooks for the figures can be downloaded from http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/dt281/parton.htm

Nonperturbative Tests of Three-Dimensional Dualities

We test several conjectural dualities between strongly coupled superconformal field theories in three dimensions by computing their exact partition functions on a three-sphere as a function of Fayet-Iliopoulos and mass parameters. The calculation is carried out using localization of the path integral and the matrix model previously derived for superconformal N = 2 gauge theories. We verify that the partition functions of quiver theories related by mirror symmetry agree provided the mass parameters and the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameters are exchanged, as predicted. We carry out a similar calculation for the mirror of N = 8 super-Yang-Mills theory and show that its partition function agrees with that of the ABJM theory at unit Chern-Simons level. This provides a nonperturbative test of the conjectural equivalence of the two theories in the conformal limit

Supersymmetry enhancement by monopole operators

We describe a method which allows one to study hidden symmetries in a large class of strongly coupled supersymmetric gauge theories in three dimensions. We apply this method to the ABJM theory and to the infrared limit of N=4 SQCD with adjoint and fundamental matter. We show that the U(N) ABJM model with Chern-Simons level k=1 or k=2 has hidden N=8 supersymmetry. Hidden supersymmetry is also shown to occur in N=4 d=3 SQCD with one fundamental and one adjoint hypermultiplet. The latter theory, as well as the U(N) ABJM theory at k=1, are shown to have a decoupled free sector. This provides evidence that both models are dual to the infrared limit of N=8 U(N) super-Yang-Mills theory.Comment: 29 pages, late

On The Inflaton Potential From Antibranes in Warped Throats

We compute the force between a stack of smeared antibranes at the bottom of a warped throat and a stack of smeared branes at some distance up the throat, both for anti-D3 branes and for anti-M2 branes. We perform this calculation in two ways: first, by treating the antibranes as probes in the background sourced by the branes and second, by treating the branes as probes in the candidate background sourced by the antibranes. These two very different calculations yield exactly the same expression for the force, for all values of the brane-antibrane separation. This indicates that the force between a brane and an antibrane is not screened in backgrounds where there is positive charge dissolved in flux, and gives a way to precisely compute the inflaton potential in certain string cosmology scenarios.Comment: 9 page