Half--Hypers and Quivers

We systematically investigate the finite set of possible gauge groups and matter content for N = 1 supergravity theories in six dimensions with no tensor multiplets, focusing on nonabelian gauge groups which are a product of SU(N) factors. We identify a number of models which obey all known low-energy consistency conditions, but which have no known string theory realization. Many of these models contain novel matter representations, suggesting possible new string theory const...

In this thesis I discuss the derivation of the BPS solutions of the most general N=2, d=5 gauged supergravity with matter. In particular I will concentrate on the dependence of BPS equations on the choice of the gauging, in presence of not trivial hypermultiplets (not constant prepotential). My purpose is, starting from the experience gained in some special examples, to extend the results of Gauntlett et Gutowski for the minimal gauged case to the theory with a generic number...

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 demonstrate that $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric non-Abelian gauge theories have towers of BPS particles obeying a Regge relation, $J \sim m^{2},$ between their angular momenta, $J,$ and their masses, $m$. For $SU(N)$ Yang-Mills theories, we estimate the slope of these Regge trajectories using a non-relativistic quiver quantum mechanics model. Along the way, we also prove various structure theorems for the quiver moduli spaces that appear in the calculation.

The BPS spectrum of d=4 N=2 field theories in general contains not only hyper- and vector-multipelts but also short multiplets of particles with arbitrarily high spin. This paper extends the method of spectral networks to give an algorithm for computing the spin content of the BPS spectrum of d=4 N=2 field theories of class S. The key new ingredient is an identification of the spin of states with the writhe of paths on the Seiberg-Witten curve. Connections to quiver represent...

BPS representations of 5-dimensional supersymmetry algebras are classified. For BPS states preserving 1/2 the supersymmetry, there are two distinct classes of multiplets for N=4 supersymmetry and three classes for N=8 supersymmetry. For N=4 matter theories, the two 1/2 supersymmetric BPS multiplets are the massive vector multiplet and the massive self-dual 2-form multiplet. Some applications to super-Yang-Mills, supergravity and little string theories are considered.

After an introduction to N=2 susy Yang-Mills theories, I review in some detail, for the SU(2) gauge group, how the low-energy effective action is obtained using duality and the constraints arising from the supersymmetry. Then I discuss how knowledge of this action, duality and certain discrete symmetries allow us to determine the spectra of stable BPS states at any point in moduli space. This is done for gauge group SU(2), without and with fundamental matter hypermultiplets w...

These notes are based on work done in collaboration with Frank Ferrari. We show how to determine the spectra of stable BPS states in $N=2$ supersymmetric $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills theories that are asymptotically free, i.e. without and with $N_f=1,2,3$ quark hypermultiplets. In all cases: $\bullet$ There is a curve of marginal stability diffeomorphic to a circle and going through all (finite) singular points of moduli space. $\bullet$ The BPS spectra are discontinuous across these c...

We explore BPS quivers for D=5 theories, compactified on a circle and geometrically engineered over local Calabi-Yau 3-folds, for which many of known machineries leading to (refined) indices fail due to the fine-tuning of the superpotential. For Abelian quivers, the counting reduces to a geometric one, but the technically challenging $L^2$ cohomology proved to be essential for sensible BPS spectra. We offer a mathematical theorem to remedy the difficulty, but for non-Abelian ...

We exactly evaluate the partition function (index) of N=4 supersymmetric quiver quantum mechanics in the Higgs phase by using the localization techniques. We show that the path integral is localized at the fixed points, which are obtained by solving the BRST equations, and D-term and F-term conditions. We turn on background gauge fields of R-symmetries for the chiral multiplets corresponding to the arrows between quiver nodes, but the partition function does not depend on the...