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David Tong

Publications and source records attributed to David Tong.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

If the Weak Were Strong and the Strong Were Weak

We explore the phase structure of the Standard Model as the relative strengths of the SU(2) weak force and SU(3) strong force are varied. With a single generation of fermions, the structure of chiral symmetry breaking suggests that there is no phase transition as we interpolate between the SU(3)-confining phase and the SU(2)-confining phase. Remarkably, the massless left-handed neutrino, familiar in our world, morphs smoothly into a massless right-handed down-quark. With multiple generations, a similar metamorphosis occurs, but now proceeding via a phase transition. In the second half of the paper we introduce a two-parameter extension of the Standard Model, a chiral gauge theory with gauge group U(1) x Sp(r) x SU(N). We again explore the phase structure of the theory as the relative strengths of the Sp(r) and SU(N) gauge couplings vary.

hep-th↗
arXiv2019

Mirror Symmetry and Bosonization in 2d and 3d

We study a supersymmetry breaking deformation of the 2d N=(2,2) cigar=Liouville mirror pair, first introduced by Hori and Kapustin. We show that mirror symmetry flows in the infra-red to 2d bosonization, with the theories reducing to massive Thirring and Sine-Gordon respectively. The exact bosonization map emerges at one-loop. We further compactify non-supersymmetric 3d bosonization dualities on a circle and argue that these too flow to 2d bosonization at long distances.

hep-th↗
arXiv2018

Hall Viscosity in the Non-Abelian Quantum Hall Matrix Model

Quantum Hall matrix models are simple, solvable quantum mechanical systems which capture the physics of certain fractional quantum Hall states. Recently, it was shown that the Hall viscosity can be extracted from the matrix model for Laughlin states. Here we extend this calculation to the matrix models for a class of non-Abelian quantum Hall states. These states, which were previously introduced by Blok and Wen, arise from the conformal blocks of Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theory models. We show that the Hall viscosity computed from the matrix model coincides with a result of Read, in which the Hall viscosity is determined in terms of the weights of primary operators of an associated conformal field theory.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2018

The Conformal Spectrum of Non-Abelian Anyons

We study the spectrum of multiple non-Abelian anyons in a harmonic trap. The system is described by Chern-Simons theory, coupled to either bosonic or fermionic non-relativistic matter, and has an SO(2,1) conformal invariance. We describe a number of special properties of the spectrum, focussing on a class of protected states whose energies are dictated by their angular momentum. We show that the angular momentum of a bound state of non-Abelian anyons is determined by the quadratic Casimirs of their constituents.

hep-th↗
arXiv2017

ADHM and the 4d Quantum Hall Effect

Yang-Mills instantons are solitonic particles in d=4+1 dimensional gauge theories. We construct and analyse the quantum Hall states that arise when these particles are restricted to the lowest Landau level. We describe the ground state wavefunctions for both Abelian and non-Abelian quantum Hall states. Although our model is purely bosonic, we show that the excitations of this 4d quantum Hall state are governed by the Nekrasov partition function of a certain five dimensional supersymmetric gauge theory with Chern-Simons term. The partition function can also be interpreted as a variant of the Hilbert series of the instanton moduli space, counting holomorphic sections rather than holomorphic functions. It is known that the Hilbert series of the instanton moduli space can be rewritten using mirror symmetry of 3d gauge theories in terms of Coulomb branch variables. We generalise this approach to include the effect of a five dimensional Chern-Simons term. We demonstrate that the resulting Coulomb branch formula coincides with the corresponding Higgs branch Molien integral which, in turn, reproduces the standard formula for the Nekrasov partition function.

hep-th↗
arXiv2017

Line Operators in the Standard Model

There is an ambiguity in the gauge group of the Standard Model. The group is $G = SU(3) \times SU(2) \times U(1)/Γ$, where $Γ$ is a subgroup of ${\bf Z}_6$ which cannot be determined by current experiments. We describe how the electric, magnetic and dyonic line operators of the theory depend on the choice of $Γ$. We also explain how the periodicity of the theta angles, associated to each factor of $G$, differ.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

Non-Abelian 3d Bosonization and Quantum Hall States

Bosonization dualities relate two different Chern-Simons-matter theories, with bosonic matter on one side replaced by fermionic matter on the other. We first describe a more general class of non-Abelian bosonization dualities. We then explore the non-relativistic physics of these theories in the quantum Hall regime. The bosonic theory lies in a condensed phase and admits vortices which are known to form a non-Abelian quantum Hall state. We ask how this same physics arises in the fermionic theory. We find that a condensed boson corresponds to a fully filled Landau level of fermions, while bosonic vortices map to fermionic holes. We confirm that the ground state of the two theories is indeed described by the same quantum Hall wavefunction.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

Lectures on the Quantum Hall Effect

The purpose of these lectures is to describe the basic theoretical structures underlying the rich and beautiful physics of the quantum Hall effect. The focus is on the interplay between microscopic wavefunctions, long-distance effective Chern-Simons theories, and the modes which live on the boundary. The notes are aimed at graduate students in any discipline where $\hbar=1$. A working knowledge of quantum field theory is assumed. Contents: 1. The Basics (Landau levels and Berry phase). 2. The Integer Quantum Hall Effect. 3. The Fractional Quantum Hall Effect. 4. Non-Abelian Quantum Hall States. 5. Chern-Simons Theories. 6. Edge Modes.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

A Matrix Model for WZW

We study a U(N) gauged matrix quantum mechanics which, in the large N limit, is closely related to the chiral WZW conformal field theory. This manifests itself in two ways. First, we construct the left-moving Kac-Moody algebra from matrix degrees of freedom. Secondly, we compute the partition function of the matrix model in terms of Schur and Kostka polynomials and show that, in the large $N$ limit, it coincides with the partition function of the WZW model. This same matrix model was recently shown to describe non-Abelian quantum Hall states and the relationship to the WZW model can be understood in this framework.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

A Matrix Model for Non-Abelian Quantum Hall States

We propose a matrix quantum mechanics for a class of non-Abelian quantum Hall states. The model describes electrons which carry an internal SU(p) spin. The ground states of the matrix model include spin-singlet generalisations of the Moore-Read and Read-Rezayi states and, in general, lie in a class previously introduced by Blok and Wen. The effective action for these states is a U(p) Chern-Simons theory. We show how the matrix model can be derived from quantisation of the vortices in this Chern-Simons theory and how the matrix model ground states can be reconstructed as correlation functions in the boundary WZW model.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2016

Particle-Vortex Duality from 3d Bosonization

We provide a simple derivation of particle-vortex duality in d=2+1 dimensions. Our starting point is a relativistic form of flux attachment, designed to transmute the statistics of particles. From this seed, we derive a web of new dualities. These include particle-vortex duality for bosons as well as the recently discovered counterpart for fermions.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

The Holographic Dual of AdS3 x S3 x S3 x S1

We construct the two dimensional N=(0,4) gauge theory that lives on the world volume of D1-branes and intersecting D5-branes. We conjecture that this theory flows in the infra-red to a fixed point with large N=(4,4) superconformal symmetry. The central charge of the conformal field theory is shown to coincide with the holographic dual of string theory compactified on AdS3 x S3 x S3 x S1.

hep-th↗
arXiv2016

On Superconformal Anyons

In d=2+1 dimensions, there exist field theories which are non-relativistic and superconformal. These theories describe two species of anyons, whose spins differ by 1/2, interacting in a harmonic trap. We compute the dimensions of chiral primary operators. These operators receive large anomalous dimensions which are related to the unusual angular momentum properties of anyons. Surprisingly, we find that the dimensions of some chiral primary operators violate the unitarity bound and we trace this to the fact that the associated wavefunctions become non-normalisable. We also study BPS non-perturbative states in this theory: these are Jackiw-Pi vortices. We show that these emerge at exactly the point where perturbative operators hit the unitarity bound. To describe the low-energy dynamics of these vortices, we construct a novel type of supersymmetric gauged linear sigma model.

hep-th↗
arXiv2015

The Quantum Hall Effect in Supersymmetric Chern-Simons Theories

We introduce a supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory whose low energy physics is that of the fractional quantum Hall effect. The supersymmetry allows us to solve the theory analytically. We quantise the vortices and, by relating their dynamics to a matrix model, show that their ground state wavefunction is in the same universality class as the Laughlin state. We further construct coherent state representations of the excitations of a finite number of vortices. These are quasi-holes. By an explicit computation of the Berry phase, without resorting to a plasma analogy, we show that these excitations have fractional charge and spin.

hep-th↗
arXiv2015

Vortices and Monopoles in a Harmonic Trap

The Omega-deformation is a harmonic trap, penning certain excitations near the origin in a manner consistent with supersymmetry. Here we explore the dynamics of BPS monopoles and vortices in such a trap. We pay particular attention to monopoles in the Higgs phase, when they are confined to a vortex string. Unusually for BPS solitons, the mass of these confined monopoles is quadratic in the topological charges. We compute an index theorem to determine the number of collective coordinates of confined monopoles. Despite being restricted to move on a line, we find that they have a rich dynamics. As the strength of the trap increases, the number of collective coordinates can change, sometimes with constituent monopoles disappearing, sometimes with new ones emerging.

hep-th↗
arXiv2015

ADHM Revisited: Instantons and Wilson Lines

We revisit the well-studied D0-D4 system of D-branes and its relationship to the ADHM construction. It is well known that the D0-branes appear as instantons in the D4-brane worldvolume. We add a Wilson line to the D4-brane in the guise of an extended fundamental string and determine how this affects the D0-brane dynamics. As the D0-brane moves in the presence of the Wilson line, it experiences a Lorentz force, proportional to its Yang-Mills gauge connection. From the perspective of the D0-brane quantum mechanics, this force emerges through the ADHM construction of the self-dual gauge connection.

hep-th↗
arXiv2014

Holographic Charge Oscillations

The Reissner-Nordstrom black hole provides the prototypical description of a holographic system at finite density. We study the response of this system to the presence of a local, charged impurity. Below a critical temperature, the induced charge density, which screens the impurity, exhibits oscillations. These oscillations can be traced to the singularities in the density-density correlation function moving in the complex momentum plane. At finite temperature, the oscillations are very similar to the Friedel oscillations seen in Fermi liquids. However, at zero temperature the oscillations in the black hole background remain exponentially damped, while Friedel oscillations relax to a power-law

hep-th↗