July 3, 2001
We consider the two complex dimensional moduli space of supersymmetric vacua for low energy effective N=2 SYM with gauge group SU(3). We describe, at the topological level, a consistent model of how the relevant curves of marginal stability (CMS) intertwine with the branch cuts to partition the moduli space into pieces carrying different BPS spectra. At strong coupling we find connected cores which carry a smaller BPS spectrum than that at weak coupling. At the strongest coup...
March 14, 2017
It is possible to understand whether a given BPS spectrum is generated by a relevant deformation of a 4D N=2 SCFT or of an asymptotically free theory from the periodicity properties of the corresponding quantum monodromy. With the aim of giving a better understanding of the above conjecture, in this paper we revisit the description of framed BPS states of four-dimensional relativistic quantum field theories with eight conserved supercharges in terms of supersymmetric quantum ...
April 13, 2017
We define "BPS graphs" on punctured Riemann surfaces associated with $A_{N-1}$ theories of class $\mathcal{S}$. BPS graphs provide a bridge between two powerful frameworks for studying the spectrum of BPS states: spectral networks and BPS quivers. They arise from degenerate spectral networks at maximal intersections of walls of marginal stability on the Coulomb branch. While the BPS spectrum is ill-defined at such intersections, a BPS graph captures a useful basis of elementa...
May 26, 2015
We study the connection between N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories, quantum cohomology and quantum integrable systems of hydrodynamic type. We consider gauge theories on ALE spaces of A and D-type and discuss how they describe the quantum cohomology of the corresponding Nakajima's quiver varieties. We also discuss how the exact evaluation of local BPS observables in the gauge theory can be used to calculate the spectrum of quantum Hamiltonians of spin Calogero integrable sys...
October 3, 2016
Vector spaces of (framed) BPS states of Lagrangian four-dimensional N=2 field theories can be defined in semiclassical chambers in terms of the $L^2$-cohomology of Dirac-like operators on monopole moduli spaces. This was spelled out previously for theories with only vectormultiplets, taking into account only a subset of the possible half-supersymmetric 't Hooft-Wilson line defects. This note completes the discussion by describing the modifications needed when including matter...
June 6, 1998
The vacuum structure and spectra of two-dimensional gauge theories with N=(2,2) supersymmetry are investigated. These theories admit a twisted mass term for charged chiral matter multiplets. In the case of a U(1) gauge theory with N chiral multiplets of equal charge, an exact description of the BPS spectrum is obtained for all values of the twisted masses. The BPS spectrum has two dual descriptions which apply in the Higgs and Coulomb phases of the theory respectively. The tw...
June 17, 2022
For a special family of 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal quiver theories, the worldsheet dual corresponding to the free theory is identified. This result is obtained from the recently proposed worldsheet dual of free $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM by applying a $\mathbb{Z}_k$ orbifold. In support of our proposal we show that the spectrum of both the untwisted as well as the twisted sectors coincides between the two descriptions.
August 1, 2014
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...
November 11, 1997
I review my work together with Piljin Yi on the spectrum of BPS-saturated states in N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories. In an M-theory description, such states are realized as certain two-brane configurations. We first show how the central charge of the N = 2 algebra arises from the two-form central charge of the eleven-dimensional supersymmetry algebra, and derive the condition for a two-brane configuration to be BPS-saturated. We then discuss how the topology of the t...
December 8, 2000
We apply ideas that have appeared in the study of D-branes on Calabi-Yau compactifications to the derivation of the BPS spectrum of field theories. In particular, we identify an orbifold point whose fractional branes can be thought of as ``partons'' of the BPS spectrum of N=2 pure SU(N) SYM. We derive the BPS spectrum and lines of marginal stability branes near that orbifold, and compare our results with the spectrum of the field theories.