N=(0, 2) Deformation of (2, 2) Sigma Models: Geometric Structure, Holomorphic Anomaly and Exact Beta Functions

In this paper two issues are addressed. First, we discuss renormalization properties of a class of gauged linear sigma models (GLSM) which reduce to $\mathbb{WCP}(N,\tilde{N})$ non-linear sigma models (NLSM) in the low-energy limit. Sometimes they are referred to as the Hanany-Tong models. If supersymmetry is ${\cal N} =(2,2)$ the ultraviolet-divergent logarithm in LGSM appears, in the renormalization of the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter, and is exhausted by a single tadpole gra...

In this note we explore the possible marginal deformations of general (0,2) non-linear sigma-models, which arise as descriptions of the weakly-coupled (large radius) limits of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}= 1$ compactifications of the heterotic string, to lowest order in $\alpha'$ and first order in conformal perturbation theory. The results shed light from the world-sheet perspective on the classical moduli space of such compactifications. This is a contribution to the proce...

We discuss the central charge in supersymmetric ${\cal N}=2$ sigma models in two dimensions. The target space is a symmetric K\"ahler manifold, CP$(N-1)$ is an example. The U(1) isometries allow one to introduce twisted masses in the model. At the classical level the central charge contains Noether charges of the U(1) isometries and a topological charge which is an integral of a total derivative of the Killing potentials. At the quantum level the topological part of the centr...

We review non-linear sigma-models with (2,1) and (2,2) supersymmetry. We focus on off-shell closure of the supersymmetry algebra and give a complete list of (2,2) superfields. We provide evidence to support the conjecture that all N=(2,2) non-linear sigma-models can be described by these fields. This in its turn leads to interesting consequences about the geometry of the target manifolds. One immediate corollary of this conjecture is the existence of a potential for hyper-Kah...

The Wilsonian renormalization group (WRG) equation is used to derive a new class of scale invariant field theories with nonvanishing anomalous dimensions in 2-dimensional ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models. When the coordinates of the target manifolds have nontrivial anomalous dimensions, vanishing of the $\beta$ function suggest the existence of novel conformal field theories whose target space is not Ricci flat. We construct such conformal field theories wit...

In this paper we build a family of heterotic deformations of the O(N) sigma model. These deformations break (1,1) supersymmetry down to (0,1) symmetry. We solve this model at large N. We also find an alternative superfield formulation of the heterotic CP^N sigma model which was discussed in the literature before.

Compactifications of the heterotic string are a viable route to phenomenologically realistic vacua and interesting new mathematics. While supergravity aspects of heterotic compactifications are largely well-understood their worldsheet description remains largely unexplored. We review recent work in developing linear sigma model techniques aimed at elucidating the underlying worldsheet description.

We study chiral anomalies in $\mathcal N=(0, 1)$ and $(0, 2)$ two-dimensional minimal sigma models defined on generic homogeneous spaces $G/H$. Such minimal theories contain only (left) chiral fermions and in certain cases are inconsistent because of "incurable" anomalies. We explicitly calculate the anomalous fermionic effective action and show how to remedy it by adding a series of local counter-terms. In this procedure, we derive a local anomaly matching condition, which i...

We extend our analysis in [arXiv:0801.4782] and show that the chiral algebras of (0,2) sigma models are totally trivialized by worldsheet instantons for all complete flag manifolds of compact semisimple Lie groups. Consequently, supersymmetry is spontaneously broken. Our results verify Stolz's idea that there are no harmonic spinors on the loop spaces of these flag manifolds. Moreover, they also imply that the kernels of certain twisted Dirac operators on these spaces will be...

A new two dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ Supersymmetric Non-Linear Sigma Model describes the dynamics of internal moduli of the BPS semi-local vortex string supported in four dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ SQED. While the core of these strings is very similar to Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices, they are defined with a characteristic size modulus, much like the instanton lump size. This entails that the constituting fields of the vortex do not decay exponentially, as one goes ...