August 11, 2021
Quivers, gauge theories and singular geometries are of great interest in both mathematics and physics. In this note, we collect a few open questions which have arisen in various recent works at the intersection between gauge theories, representation theory, and algebraic geometry. The questions originate from the study of supersymmetric gauge theories in different dimensions with different supersymmetries. Although these constitute merely the tip of a vast iceberg, we hope this guide can give a hint of possible directions in future research. This is an invited contribution to a special volume of Proyecciones, E. Gasparim, Ed., and it is the hope that the questions are specific enough for research projects aimed at PhD students.
Similar papers 1
April 15, 2003
This overview paper reviews several results relating the representation theory of quivers to algebraic geometry and quantum group theory. (Potential) applications to the study of the representation theory of wild quivers are discussed. To appear in the Proceedings of the International Conference on Representations of Algebras and Related Topics ICRA X, The Fields Institute, July/August 2002.
December 14, 2012
We present a survey of the computation of the BPS spectrum of a general four-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory in terms of the Representation Theory of quivers with superpotential. We focus on SYM with a general gauge group G coupled to standard matter in arbitrary representations of G (consistent with a non--positive beta--function). The situation is particularly tricky and interesting when the matter consists of an odd number of half-hypermultiplets: we describe i...
March 30, 2012
In view of classification of the quiver 4d N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories, we discuss the characterization of the quivers with superpotential (Q,W) associated to a N=2 QFT which, in some corner of its parameter space, looks like a gauge theory with gauge group G. The basic idea is that the Abelian category rep(Q,W) of (finite-dimensional) representations of the Jacobian algebra $\mathbb{C} Q/(\partial W)$ should enjoy what we call the Ringel property of type G; in particul...
April 16, 2014
We consider dimensional reduction of gauge theories with arbitrary gauge group in a formalism based on equivariant principal bundles. For the classical gauge groups we clarify the relations between equivariant principal bundles and quiver bundles, and show that the reduced quiver gauge theories are all generically built on the same universal symmetry breaking pattern. The formalism enables the dimensional reduction of Chern-Simons gauge theories in arbitrary odd dimensionalit...
July 21, 2000
Recent scenarios of phenomenologically realistic string compactifications involve the existence of gauge sectors localized on D-branes at singular points of Calabi-Yau threefolds. The spectrum and interactions in these gauge sectors are determined by the local geometry of the singularity, and can be encoded in quiver diagrams. We discuss the physical models arising for the simplest case of orbifold singularities, and generalize to non-orbifold singularities and orientifold si...
November 28, 2016
The connections amongst (1) quivers whose representation varieties are Calabi-Yau, (2) the combinatorics of bipartite graphs on Riemann surfaces, and (3) the geometry of mirror symmetry have engendered a rich subject at whose heart is the physics of gauge/string theories. We review the various parts of this intricate story in some depth, for a mathematical audience without assumption of any knowledge of physics, emphasizing a plethora of results residing at the intersection...
November 16, 1999
D-brane probes, Hanany-Witten setups and geometrical engineering stand as a trichotomy of the currently fashionable techniques of constructing gauge theories from string theory. Meanwhile, asymptotic freedom, finitude and IR freedom pose as a trichotomy of the beta-function behaviour in quantum field theories. Parallel thereto is a trichotomy in set theory of finite, tame and wild representation types. At the intersection of the above lies the theory of quivers. We briefly re...
October 23, 2017
This brief survey aims to set the stage and summarize some of the ideas under discussion at the Workshop on Singular Geometry and Higgs Bundles in String Theory, to be held at the American Institute of Mathematics from October 30th to November 3rd, 2017. One of the most interesting aspects of the duality revolution in string theory is the understanding that gauge fields and matter representations can be described by intersection of branes. Since gauge theory is at the heart o...
December 11, 2005
Placing a set of branes at a Calabi-Yau singularity leads to an N=1 quiver gauge theory. We analyze F-term deformations of such gauge theories. A generic deformation can be obtained by making the Calabi-Yau non-commutative. We discuss non-commutative generalisations of well-known singularities such as the Del Pezzo singularities and the conifold. We also introduce new techniques for deriving superpotentials, based on quivers with ghosts and a notion of generalised Seiberg dua...
April 2, 2013
In this work we compare different descriptions of the space of vacua of certain three dimensional N=4 superconformal field theories, compactified on a circle and mass-deformed to N=2 in a canonical way. The original N=4 theories are known to admit two distinct mirror descriptions as linear quiver gauge theories, and many more descriptions which involve the compactification on a segment of four-dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. Each description gives a distinct presenta...