arXiv subjects

Joonho Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Joonho Kim.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Little strings on $D_n$ orbifolds

We explore two classes of 6d $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ little string theories obtained from type IIA/IIB NS5-branes probing $D_n$ singularities. Their tensor branches are described by effective gauge theories whose instanton solitons are macroscopic little strings. We specifically study two families of 2d $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ gauge theories which describe at low energy the worldsheet dynamics of the type IIA/IIB little strings. These gauge theories are useful to calculate the supersymmetric partition functions of the little string theories on $\mathbf{R}^4 \times T^2$. We establish the T-duality of the little string theories by utilizing their BPS spectra as a probe.

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arXiv2017

6d String Chains

We consider bound states of strings which arise in 6d (1,0) SCFTs that are realized in F-theory in terms of linear chains of spheres with negative self-intersections 1,2, and 4. These include the strings associated to N small E8 instantons, as well as the ones associated to M5 branes probing A and D type singularities in M-theory or D5 branes probing ADE singularities in Type IIB string theory. We find that these bound states of strings admit (0,4) supersymmetric quiver descriptions and show how one can compute their elliptic genera.

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arXiv2016

M5-branes, orientifolds, and S-duality

We study the instanton partition functions of 5d maximal super Yang-Mills theories with all classical gauge groups. They are computed from the ADHM quantum mechanics of the D0-D4-O4 systems. Our partition functions respect S-dualities of the circle compactified Yang-Mills theories and various orientifold backgrounds. We also compute and study the $S^5$ partition functions that correspond to the 6d (2,0) superconformal indices. Our SO(2N) index takes the form of the vacuum character of $\mathcal{W}_D$ algebra in a special limit, supporting the $\mathcal{W}$ algebra conjecture. We propose new indices for (2,0) theories with outer automorphism twists along the temporal circle, obtained from non-simply-laced SYMs on $S^5$.

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arXiv2015

Higgsing towards E-strings

We explore 6d (1,0) superconformal field theories with SU(3) and SU(2) gauge symmetries which cascade after Higgsing to the E-string theory on a single M5 near an $E_8$ wall. Specifically, we study the 2d $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ gauge theories which describe self-dual strings of these 6d theories. The self-dual strings can be also viewed as instanton string solitons of 6d Yang-Mills theories. We find the 2d anomaly-free gauge theories for self-dual strings, amending the naive ADHM gauge theories which are anomalous, and calculate their elliptic genera. While these 2d theories respect the flavor symmetry of each 6d SCFT only partially, their elliptic genera manifest the symmetry fully as these functions as BPS index are invariant in strongly coupled IR limit. Our consistent 2d (0,4) gauge theories also provide new insights on the non-linear sigma models for the instanton strings, providing novel UV completions of the small instanton singularities. Finally, we construct new 2d quiver gauge theories for the self-dual strings in 6d E-string theory for multiple M5-branes probing the $E_8$ wall, and find their fully refined elliptic genera.

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arXiv2015

General instanton counting and 5d SCFT

Instanton partition functions of 5d N=1 gauge theories are Witten indices for the ADHM gauged quantum mechanics with (0,4) SUSY. We derive the integral contour prescriptions for these indices using the Jeffrey-Kirwan method, for gauge theories with hypermultiplets in various representations. The results can be used to study various 4d/5d/6d QFTs. In this paper, we study 5d SCFTs which are at the UV fixed points of 5d SYM theories. In particular, we focus on the Sp(N) theories with N_f \leq 7 fundamental and 1 antisymmetric hypermultiplets, living on the D4-D8-O8 systems. Their superconformal indices calculated from instantons all show E_{N_f+1} symmetry enhancements. We also discuss some aspects of the 6d SCFTs living on the M5-M9 system. It is crucial to understand the UV incompleteness of the 5d SYM, coming from small instantons in our problem. We explain in our examples how to fix them. As an aside, we derive the index for general gauged quantum mechanics with (0,2) SUSY.

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arXiv2014

Positroid Stratification of Orthogonal Grassmannian and ABJM Amplitudes

A novel understanding of scattering amplitudes in terms of on-shell diagrams and positive Grassmannian has been recently established for four dimensional Yang-Mills theories and three dimensional Chern-Simons theories of ABJM type. We give a detailed construction of the positroid stratification of orthogonal Grassmannian relevant for ABJM amplitudes. On-shell diagrams are classified by pairing of external particles. We introduce a combinatorial aid called `OG tableaux' and map each equivalence class of on-shell diagrams to a unique tableau. The on-shell diagrams related to each other through BCFW bridging are naturally grouped by the OG tableaux. Introducing suitably ordered BCFW bridges and positive coordinates, we construct the complete coordinate charts to cover the entire positive orthogonal Grassmannian for arbitrary number of external particles. The graded counting of OG tableaux suggests that the positive orthogonal Grassmannian constitutes a combinatorial polytope.

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arXiv2012

Instantons on the 5-sphere and M5-branes

We calculate the partition functions of supersymmetric gauge theories on S^5, which acquire non-perturbative contributions from instanton loops wrapping its Hopf fiber. The instantons on the CP^2 base equivariantly localize to 3 fixed points of SU(3) Cartans. Using our results, we study the index of the 6d (2,0) theory. We first study the partition functions of maximal SYM with AD(E) gauge groups, which agree with the gravity dual indices on AdS_7 in the large N limits. We also show that the most general partition function of the Abelian theory agrees with the index for a free 6d tensor supermultiplet. We explain possible ambiguities in our 5d approach, role of maximal SUSY, and the Wilson loops on S^5 dual to M2-brane Wilson surfaces in AdS_7.

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