Baryon Charges in 4d Superconformal Field Theories and Their AdS Duals

We consider general aspects of the realization of R and non-R flavor symmetries in the AdS_5 x H_5 dual of 4d N=1 superconformal field theories. We find a general prescription for computing the charges under these symmetries for baryonic operators, which uses only topological information (intersection numbers) on H_5. We find and discuss a new correspondence between the nodes of the SCFT quiver diagrams and certain divisors in the associated geometry. We also discuss connections between the non-R flavor symmetries and the enhanced gauge symmetries in non-conformal theories obtained by adding wrapped branes.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures. v2: added comment

Exploring the 4d Superconformal Zoo

We discuss a new constraint for determining the superconformal U(1)_R symmetry of 4d N=1 SCFTs: It is the unique one which locally maximizes a(R) = 3Tr R^3-Tr R. This constraint comes close to proving the conjectured "a-theorem" for N=1 SCFTs. Using this "a-maximization", exact results can now be obtained for previously inaccessible 4d N=1 SCFTs. We apply this method to a rich class of examples: 4d N=1 SQCD with added matter chiral superfields in the adjoint representation. We classify a zoo of SCFTs, finding that Arnold's ADE singularity classification arises in classifying these theories via all possible relevant Landau-Ginzburg superpotentials. We verify that all RG flows are indeed compatible with the "a-theorem" conjecture, a_{IR}<a_{UV}, in every caseComment: QTS '03 conference proceeding

BCFW Recursion Relations and String Theory

We demonstrate that all tree-level string theory amplitudes can be computed using the BCFW recursion relations. Our proof utilizes the pomeron vertex operator introduced by Brower, Polchinski, Strassler, and Tan. Surprisingly, we find that in a particular large complex momentum limit, the asymptotic expansion of massless string amplitudes is identical in form to that of the corresponding field theory amplitudes. This observation makes manifest the fact that field-theoretic Yang-Mills and graviton amplitudes obey KLT-like relations. Moreover, we conjecture that in this large momentum limit certain string theory and field theory amplitudes are identical, and provide evidence for this conjecture. Additionally, we find a new recursion relation which relates tachyon amplitudes to lower-point tachyon amplitudes.Comment: 36 pages, JHEP3; reference and note added, improved discussion in section

Semi-direct Gauge Mediation

We describe a framework for gauge mediation of supersymmetry breaking in which the messengers are charged under the hidden sector gauge group but do not play a role in breaking supersymmetry. From this point of view, our framework is between ordinary gauge mediation and direct mediation. As an example, we consider the 3-2 model of dynamical supersymmetry breaking, and add to it massive messengers which are SU(2) doublets. We briefly discuss the phenomenology of this scenario.Comment: 24 pages. v2: Typos corrected and reference added. v3: Reference adde

AdS/CFT Dual Pairs from M5-Branes on Riemann Surfaces

In this letter we describe an infinite family of new N=1 AdS_5/CFT_4 dual pairs which arise from M5-branes wrapping Riemann surfaces in Calabi-Yau threefolds. We use the relevant brane constructions to compute the central charges of the infrared fixed points from the M5-brane anomaly polynomial. We then present AdS_5 x M_6 solutions of eleven-dimensional supergravity which are dual to these CFTs at large N. Finally, we provide a purely four-dimensional field theory construction which flows to a special class of these fixed points. These theories will be further elaborated upon in a companion paper.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. v2: typos corrected, conclusions section omitted for lengt