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arXiv · 1602.01217

Deformations of Superconformal Theories

Clay Cordova·Thomas T. Dumitrescu·Kenneth Intriligator
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Abstract

We classify possible supersymmetry-preserving relevant, marginal, and irrelevant deformations of unitary superconformal theories in $d \geq 3$ dimensions. Our method only relies on symmetries and unitarity. Hence, the results are model independent and do not require a Lagrangian description. Two unifying themes emerge: first, many theories admit deformations that reside in multiplets together with conserved currents. Such deformations can lead to modifications of the supersymmetry algebra by central and non-central charges. Second, many theories with a sufficient amount of supersymmetry do not admit relevant or marginal deformations, and some admit neither. The classification is complicated by the fact that short superconformal multiplets display a rich variety of sporadic phenomena, including supersymmetric deformations that reside in the middle of a multiplet. We illustrate our results with examples in diverse dimensions. In particular, we explain how the classification of irrelevant supersymmetric deformations can be used to derive known and new constraints on moduli-space effective actions.

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Clay Cordova, Thomas T. Dumitrescu, Kenneth Intriligator. 2016-02-03. Deformations of Superconformal Theories. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep11(2016)135

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