On Duality in Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory

We discuss non-abelian $SU(N_c)$ gauge theory coupled to an adjoint chiral superfield $X$, and a number of fundamental chiral superfields $Q^i$. Using duality, we show that turning on a superpotential W(X)=\Tr\sum_{l=1}^k g_l X^{l+1} leads to non-trivial long distance dynamics, a large number of multicritical IR fixed points and vacua, connected to each other by varying the coefficients $g_l$.Comment: 11 pages, harvma

SUSY field theories, integrable systems and their stringy/brane origin -- II

Five and six dimensional SUSY gauge theories, with one or two compactified directions, are discussed. The 5d theories with the matter hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation are associated with the twisted $XXZ$ spin chain, while the group product case with the bi-fundamental matter corresponds to the higher rank spin chains. The Riemann surfaces for $6d$ theories with fundamental matter and two compact directions are proposed to correspond to the $XYZ$ spin chain based on the Sklyanin algebra. We also discuss the obtained results within the brane and geometrical engeneering frameworks and explain the relation to the toric diagrams.Comment: LaTeX, 21 pages, no figure

More Results in N=1N=1 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

We present the exact effective superpotentials in $4d$, $N=1$ supersymmetric $SU(2)$ gauge theories with $N_3$ triplets and $N_2$ doublets of matter superfields. For the theories with a single triplet matter superfield we present the exact gauge couplings for arbitrary bare masses and Yukawa couplings.Comment: 9 page

INSTANTON CALCULATIONS VERSUS EXACT RESULTS IN 4 DIMENSIONAL SUSY GAUGE THEORIES.

We relate the non-perturbative exact results in supersymmetry to perturbation theory using several different methods: instanton calculations at weak or strong coupling, a method using gaugino condensation and another method relating strong and weak coupling. This allows many precise numerical checks of the consistency of these methods, especially the amplitude of instanton effects, and of the network of exact solutions in supersymmetry. However, there remain difficulties with the instanton computations at strong coupling.Comment: 17 pages, uses harvmac

BPS States and Minimal Surfaces

It was observed recently, that the low energy effective action of the four-dimensional supersymmetric theories may be obtained as a certain limit of M Theory. From this point of view, the BPS states correspond to the minimal area membranes ending on the M Theory fivebrane. We prove that for the configuration, corresponding to the SU(2) Super Yang-Mills theory, the BPS spectrum is correctly reproduced, and develop techniques for analyzing the BPS spectrum in more general cases. We show that the type of the supermultiplet is related to the topology of the membrane: disks correspond to hypermultiplets, and cylinders to vector multiplets. We explain the relation between minimal surfaces and geodesic lines, which shows that our description of BPS states is closely related to one arising in Type II string compactification on Calabi-Yau threefolds.Comment: 31 pp., LaTeX, 6 PostScript figures. The construction of bosonic and fermionic zero modes is explained in more invariant terms and generalized to membranes of arbitrary topology. Mistake in the discussion of membrane worldsheet theory is corrected. The relation between membranes and geodesic lines is explaine

Aspects of N=2 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories in Three Dimensions

We consider general aspects of N=2 gauge theories in three dimensions, including their multiplet structure, anomalies and non-renormalization theorems. For U(1) gauge theories, we discuss the quantum corrections to the moduli space, and their relation to ``mirror symmetries'' of 3d N=4 theories. Mirror symmetry is given an interpretation in terms of vortices. For SU(N_c) gauge groups with N_f fundamental flavors, we show that, depending on the number of flavors, there are quantum moduli spaces of vacua with various phenomena near the origin.Comment: 40 pages, harvma

Simple Singularities and N=2 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory

We present a first step towards generalizing the work of Seiberg and Witten on N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory to arbitrary gauge groups. Specifically, we propose a particular sequence of hyperelliptic genus $n-1$ Riemann surfaces to underly the quantum moduli space of $SU(n)$ N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory. These curves have an obvious generalization to arbitrary simply laced gauge groups, which involves the A-D-E type simple singularities. To support our proposal, we argue that the monodromy in the semiclassical regime is correctly reproduced. We also give some remarks on a possible relation to string theory.Comment: 13p, harvmac/lanlmac with hyperlinks 1 uuencoded PostScript figure appended (Some inconsistencies and typos were corrected, we also dropped our conjectures for the monodromies at strong coupling, of which we know now that they are different.

The Vacuum Structure and Spectrum of N=2 Supersymmetric SU(N) Gauge Theory

We present an exact description of the metric on the moduli space of vacua and the spectrum of massive states for four dimensional N=2 supersymmetric SU(n) gauge theories. The moduli space of quantum vacua is identified with the moduli space of a special set of genus n-1 hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces.Comment: 11 pages, Revtex, 2 figures. Reference adde

Hyperelliptic curves for Supersymmetric Yang-Mills

In this paper we discuss the hyperelliptic curve for $N=2$ $SU(3)$ super Yang-Mills with six flavors of hypermultiplets. We start with a generic genus two surface and construct the curve in terms of genus two theta functions. From this one can construct the curve for $m_i=u=0$. This curve is explicitly dual under a subgroup of $Sp(4,Z)$ which is not isomorphic to $Sp(2,Z)$. We then proceed to construct the curve for the general $SU(3)$ theory and discuss the duality properties of the theory. The results given here differ from those given previously.Comment: 21 pages using phyzzx forma