arXiv subjects

Gabi Zafrir

Publications and source records attributed to Gabi Zafrir.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Orbi-Instantons and Class $\mathcal{S}$ Theories of Type D

We investigate the landscape of 6d $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ D-type orbi-instanton superconformal field theories (SCFTs) and their torus compactifications to four-dimensional class $\mathcal{S}$ theories. By analysing a general class of 6d F-theory constructions via generalised quivers, we demonstrate that -- in contrast to the well-characterised A-type series -- the dimensional reductions that admit a 4d class $\mathcal{S}$ description on a Riemann sphere with three untwisted D-type punctures constitute only a subset of the full orbi-instanton landscape. For this subclass, we show that the punctures can be effectively characterised by two sets of integers: the $s$-labels and the $m$-labels. The $s$-labels, or ``Kac-type labels'', serve as the D-type analogues to the Kac labels used in A-type theories; we establish their correspondence with ``modified excess numbers'' in the associated 3d mirror theories (magnetic quivers). The $m$-labels are further introduced to streamline the mapping from 6d generalised quivers to their class $\mathcal{S}$ descriptions. Furthermore, we analyse physical distinctions arising from 6d $θ$ angles and explore the hierarchy of Higgs branch flows. In doing so, we uncover instances of ``hidden Higgsings'' -- renormalization group flows present in the 6d parent theories that are not manifest in the puncture closures of the corresponding class $\mathcal{S}$ descriptions.

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arXiv2026

A note on dualities of F(4) type 3d N = 5 SCFTs

We suggest a new duality between a pair of 3d N = 5 SCFTs, one of ABJ type and one based on the exceptional superalgebra F (4). Our main evidence for the proposed duality is the matching of the superconformal index. In addition to the intrinsic interest in dualities between strongly coupled field theories, the result can also be useful in the classification of 3d N = 5 SCFTs.

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arXiv2025

$2+2=4$

Motivated by the observation that $2+2=4$, we consider four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories on $S^2\timesΣ$, turning on a suitable rigid supergravity background. On the one hand, reduction of a four-dimensional theory ${T}$ on a Riemann surface $Σ$ leads to a family $\mathscr{F}[{T}, Σ]$ of two-dimensional $(2,2)$ unitary SCFTs, a two-dimensional analog of the four-dimensional theories of class $\mathscr{S}$. On the other hand, reduction on $S^2$ yields a non-unitary two-dimensional CFT $\mathscr{C}[{T}]$ whose chiral algebra is the same as the one associated to ${T}$ by the standard SCFT/VOA correspondence. This construction upgrades the vertex operator algebra to a full-fledged two-dimensional CFT. What's more, it leads to a novel 2d/2d correspondence, a "$2+2 = 4$" analog of the "$4+2=6$" AGT correspondence: the $S^2$ partition function of $\mathscr{F}[{T}; Σ]$ is computed by correlation functions of $\mathscr{C}[{T}]$ on $Σ$. The elliptic genus of $\mathscr{F}[{T}; Σ]$ is instead computed by a topological QFT $\mathscr{E}[T]$ on $Σ$. A central question is whether one can give a purely two-dimensional presentation of the family $\mathscr{F}[{T}; Σ]$ of $(2, 2)$ theories. We propose an algorithm to realize the $(2, 2)$ theories as gauged linear sigma models when ${T}$ is an Argyres-Douglas theory of type $(A_1, A_{2k})$ and $Σ$ an $n$-punctured sphere. We perform stringent checks of our conjecture for $k=1$ and $k=2$.

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arXiv2025

Generalized symmetries and the dimensional reduction of 6d so SCFTs

We consider the dimensional reduction on a torus of the family of 6d $(1,0)$ SCFTs UV completing an $so(N)$ gauge theory with $N-8$ vector hypermultiplets. These SCFTs are known to possess a rich structure of discrete symmetries, notably 0-form and 1-form symmetries, which often merge to form a higher group structure, both split and non-split. We investigate what happens to this symmetry structure once the theory is reduced on a circle to 5d and on a torus to 4d, especially when a non-trivial Stiefel-Whitney class for the flavor symmetry is turned on. Unlike in Lagrangian theories, here the 1-form symmetries of the 6d theory reduce to non-trivially acting 1-form and 0-form symmetries, and the original higher group structure leads to an extension of the 0-form symmetries.

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arXiv2024

$\mathcal{N}=5$ SCFTs and quaternionic reflection groups

It was previously noted that for 3d SCFTs with $\mathcal{N}\geq 6$ the moduli space has the form of $\mathbb{C}^{4r}/Γ$, where $Γ$ is a complex reflection group, at least following suitable gauging of finite symmetries. Here we argue that this observation can be extended also to 3d SCFTs with $\mathcal{N}\geq 5$ SUSY, where $Γ$ is now a quaternionic reflection group. To do this, we study the moduli space of the known 3d $\mathcal{N}=5$ SCFTs. For Lagrangian cases, the results for the moduli space are further checked using the superconformal index.

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arXiv2024

Dimensionally Reducing Generalized Symmetries from (3+1)-Dimensions

Recently there has been an increasing interest in the study of generalized symmetries in dimensions higher than two. This has lead to the discovery of various manifestations of generalized symmetries, notably higher-group and non-invertible symmetries, in four dimensions. In this paper we shall examine what happens to this structure when the 4d theory is compactified to lower dimensions, specifically to 3d and 2d, where we shall be mainly interested in generalized symmetry structures whose origin can be linked to mixed flavor-gauge anomalies. We discuss several aspects of the compactification, and in particular argue that under certain conditions the discussed generalized symmetry structure may trivialize in the infrared. Nevertheless, we show that even when this happens the presence of the 4d generalized symmetry structure may still leave an imprint on the low-energy theory in terms of additional 't Hooft anomalies or by breaking part of the symmetry. We apply and illustrate this using known examples of compactifications from four dimensions, particularly, the reduction of 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $U(N_c)$ SQCD on a circle to 3d and on a sphere to 2d.

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arXiv2023

Superconformal indices for non-Lagrangian theories in five dimensions

We propose two novel methods for computing the superconformal index of 5d superconformal field theories that cannot be described by conventional Lagrangian descriptions under mass deformations. The first approach involves the use of Higgs branch flows from UV Lagrangian theories, guided by transitions in 5-brane webs in Type IIB string theory. The second method employs the relationship between O$7^+$-plane and O$7^-$-plane with eight D7-branes, which applies to particular non-Lagrangian theories realized by brane configurations involving an O$7^+$-plane. As a concrete application of our method, we compute the superconformal indices for all known rank-1 non-Lagrangian theories, which we also use to identify flavor symmetries and their global forms at the conformal field theory (CFT) fixed points.

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arXiv2023

5d to 3d compactifications and discrete anomalies

Much insight into the dynamics of quantum field theories can be gained by studying the relationship between field theories in different dimensions. An interesting observation is that when two theories are related by dimensional reduction on a compact surface, their 't Hooft anomalies corresponding to continuous symmetries are also related: the anomaly polynomial of the lower-dimensional theory can be obtained by integrating that of the higher-dimensional one on the compact surface. Naturally, this relation only holds if both theories are even dimensional. This raises the question of whether similar relations can also hold for the case of anomalies in discrete symmetries, which might be true even in odd dimensions. The natural generalization to discrete symmetries is that the anomaly theories, associated with the lower and higher dimensional theories, would be related by reduction on the compact surface. We explore this idea for compactifications of 5d superconformal field theories (SCFTs) to 3d on Riemann surfaces with global-symmetry fluxes. In this context, it can be used both as a check for these compactification constructions and for discovering new anomalies in the 5d SCFTs. This opens the way to applying the same idea of dimensional reduction of the anomaly theory to more general types of compactifications.

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arXiv2023

Symmetry TFTs and Anomalies of Non-Invertible Symmetries

It is known that the 't Hooft anomalies of invertible global symmetries can be characterized by an invertible TQFT in one higher dimension. The analogous statement remains to be understood for non-invertible symmetries. In this note we discuss how the linking invariants in a non-invertible TQFT known as the Symmetry TFT (SymTFT) can be used as a diagnostic for 't Hooft anomalies of non-invertible symmetries. When the non-invertible symmetry is non-intrinsically non-invertible, and hence the SymTFT is a Dijkgraaf-Witten model, the linking invariants can be computed explicitly. We illustrate this proposal through the examples of the abelian Higgs model in 2d, as well as adjoint QCD and $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills in 4d. We also comment on how the 't Hooft anomalies of non-invertible symmetries impose new constraints on the dynamics.

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arXiv2023

Trinions for the $3d$ compactification of the $5d$ rank 1 $E_{N_f+1}$ SCFTs

Many interesting phenomena in quantum field theory such as dualities and symmetry enhancements can be understood using higher dimensional constructions. In this paper, we study compactifications of the rank $1$ $5d$ Seiberg $E_{N_f+1}$ SCFTs to $3d$ on Riemann surfaces of genus $g>1$. We rely on the recent progress in the study of compactifications of $6d$ SCFTs to $4d$ and torus compactifications of $5d$ SCFTs to conjecture $3d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories corresponding to the reduction of said $5d$ SCFTs on three punctured spheres. These can then be used to build $3d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ models corresponding to compactifications on more general surfaces. The conjectured theories are tested by comparing their properties against those expected from the compactification picture.

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arXiv2022

Exceptional moduli spaces for exceptional $\mathcal{N}=3$ theories

It is expected on general grounds that the moduli space of 4d $\mathcal{N}=3$ theories is of the form $\mathbb{C}^{3r}/Γ$, with $r$ the rank and $Γ$ a crystallographic complex reflection group (CCRG). As in the case of Lie algebras, the space of CCRGs consists of several infinite families, together with some exceptionals. To date, no 4d $\mathcal{N}=3$ theory with moduli space labelled by an exceptional CCRG (excluding Weyl groups) has been identified. In this work we show that the 4d $\mathcal{N}=3$ theories proposed in \cite{Garcia-Etxebarria:2016erx}, constructed via non-geometric quotients of type-$\mathfrak{e}$ 6d (2,0) theories, realize nearly all such exceptional moduli spaces. In addition, we introduce an extension of this construction to allow for twists and quotients by outer automorphism symmetries. This gives new examples of 4d $\mathcal{N}=3$ theories going beyond simple S-folds.

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arXiv2022

Aspects of 4d supersymmetric dynamics and geometry

In this set of five lectures we present a basic toolbox to discuss the dynamics of four dimensional supersymmetric quantum field theories. In particular we overview the program of geometrically engineering the four dimensional supersymmetric models as compactifications of six dimensional SCFTs. We discuss how strong coupling phenomena in four dimensions, such as duality and emergence of symmetry, can be naturally imbedded in the geometric constructions. The lectures mostly review results which previously appeared in the literature but also contain some unpublished derivations.

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arXiv2022

Non-Invertible Symmetries of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM and Twisted Compactification

Non-invertible symmetries have recently been understood to provide interesting contraints on RG flows of QFTs. In this work, we show how non-invertible symmetries can also be used to generate entirely new RG flows, by means of so-called "non-invertible twisted compactification". We illustrate the idea in the example of twisted compactifications of 4d $\mathcal{N}=4$ super-Yang-Mills (SYM) to three dimensions. After giving a catalogue of non-invertible symmetries descending from Montonen-Olive duality transformations of 4d $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM, we show that twisted compactification by non-invertible symmetries can be used to obtain 3d $\mathcal{N}=6$ theories which appear otherwise unreachable if one restricts to twists by invertible symmetries.

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arXiv2022

N=1 conformal dualities

We consider on one hand the possibility that a supersymmetric ${\cal N}=1$ conformal gauge theory has a strongly coupled locus on the conformal manifold at which a different, dual, conformal gauge theory becomes a good weakly coupled description. On the other hand we discuss the possibility that strongly coupled theories, e.g. SCFTs in class ${\cal S}$, having exactly marginal ${\cal N}=1$ deformations admit a weakly coupled gauge theory description on some locus of the conformal manifold. We present a simple algorithm to search for such dualities and discuss several concrete examples. In particular we find conformal duals for ${\cal N}=1$ SQCD models with $G_2$ gauge group and a model with $SU(4)$ gauge group in terms of simple quiver gauge theories. We also find conformal weakly coupled quiver theory duals for a variety of class ${\cal S}$ theories: $T_4$, $R_{0,4}$, $R_{2,5}$, and rank $2n$ Minahan-Nemeschansky $E_6$ theories. Finally we derive conformal Lagrangians for four dimensional theories obtained by compactifying the E-string on genus $g>1$ surface with zero flux. The pairs of dual Lagrangians at the weakly coupled loci have different symmetries which are broken on a general point of the conformal manifold. We match the dimensions of the conformal manifolds, symmetries on the generic locus of the conformal manifold, anomalies, and supersymmetric indices. The simplicity of the procedure suggests that such dualities are ubiquitous.

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arXiv2021

On the 3d compactifications of 5d SCFTs associated with SU(N+1) gauge theories

We study the $3d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories resulting from the compactification of a family of $5d$ SCFTs on a torus with flux in the global symmetry. The family of $5d$ SCFTs used in the analysis is the one that UV completes the $5d$ $SU(N+1)$ gauge theories with Chern--Simons level $k$ and $N_f$ fundamental hypermultiplets, generalizing the previous investigation of the torus compactifications of the rank 1 Seiberg $E_{N_f+1}$ SCFT (which is the $N=1$ member of the family). This construction systematically yields three-dimensional theories presenting highly non-trivial non-perturbative phenomena such as infra-red dualities and enhanced symmetries, which we check using various methods.

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arXiv2021

Magnetic quivers for rank 2 theories

In this note we construct magnetic quivers for the known rank-2 four dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories. For every rank-1 theory one can find a unitary magnetic quiver; we observe that this is no longer possible at rank 2. Our list of magnetic quivers necessarily includes orthosymplectic quivers, in addition to unitary ones, of both the simply and non-simply laced variety. Using quiver subtraction, one can compute Higgs branch Hasse diagrams and compare with the results obtained via other methods finding nearly perfect agreement.

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arXiv2021

On the compactification of 5d theories to 4d

We study general properties of the mapping between 5$d$ and 4$d$ superconformal field theories (SCFTs) under both twisted circle compactification and tuning of local relevant deformation and CB moduli. After elucidating in generality when a 5$d$ SCFT reduces to a 4$d$ one, we identify nearly all $\mathcal{N}=1$ 5$d$ SCFT parents of rank-2 4$d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ SCFTs. We then use this result to map out the mass deformation trajectories among the rank-2 theories in 4$d$. This can be done by first understanding the mass deformations of the 5$d$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs and then map them to 4$d$. The former task can be easily achieved by exploiting the fact that the 5$d$ parent theories can be obtained as the strong coupling limit of Lagrangian theories, and the latter by understanding the behavior under compactification. Finally we identify a set of general criteria that 4$d$ moduli spaces of vacua have to satisfy when the corresponding SCFTs are related by mass deformations and check that all our RG-flows satisfy them. Many of the mass deformations we find are not visible from the corresponding complex integrable systems.

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arXiv2021

Compactifying 5d superconformal field theories to 3d

Building on recent progress in the study of compactifications of $6d$ $(1,0)$ superconformal field theories (SCFTs) on Riemann surfaces to $4d$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ theories, we initiate a systematic study of compactifications of $5d$ $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs on Riemann surfaces to $3d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories. Specifically, we consider the compactification of the so-called rank 1 Seiberg $E_{N_f+1}$ SCFTs on tori and tubes with flux in their global symmetry, and put the resulting $3d$ theories to various consistency checks. These include matching the (usually enhanced) IR symmetry of the $3d$ theories with the one expected from the compactification, given by the commutant of the flux in the global symmetry of the corresponding $5d$ SCFT, and identifying the spectrum of operators and conformal manifolds predicted by the $5d$ picture. As the models we examine are in three dimensions, we encounter novel elements that are not present in compactifications to four dimensions, notably Chern-Simons terms and monopole superpotentials, that play an important role in our construction. The methods used in this paper can also be used for the compactification of any other $5d$ SCFT that has a deformation leading to a $5d$ gauge theory.

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