arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Julius F. Grimminger.
We show that all 5d balanced (ADE-shaped) special unitary quivers with no Chern-Simons level admit a UV completion which is a 5d conformal matter SCFT. We give explicit local Calabi-Yau threefolds realizing each of these models in M-theory. This unified description enables a systematic exploration of their physical properties, such as their Higgs Branch, as well as connections to class-S constructions and the affine Grassmannian.
We study Higgs branches of field theories with 8 supercharges in 5 and 6 dimensions, focusing on theories realised on 5-brane webs in Type IIB with an O$7^+$ plane, or a D6-D8-NS5 brane system in Type IIA in the presence of an O$8^+$ plane. We find magnetic quivers for the Higgs branches of these theories. The main consequence of the presence of the orientifold is that it renders the magnetic quiver to be non-simply-laced. We propose a contribution of the O$7^+$ to the usual stable intersection number of 5-branes from tropical geometry, and show that it is consistent with Fayet-Iliopoulos deformations of magnetic quivers which represent mass deformations of 5d SQFTs. From the magnetic quivers, we compute phase diagrams and highest weight generating functions for the Higgs branches, enabling us to identify the global form of the flavour symmetry for several families of 5d SQFTs; among them Bhardwaj's rank-1 theory. For 6d theories realised on a $-4$ curve, we observe the appearance of an additional $D_4$ slice on top of the phase diagram as one goes to the tensionless limit.
The low energy effective theory on the moduli space of vacua of 4d superYang-Mills (sYM) theory defines a special Kähler geometry. For simple sYM gauge algebras, $\mathfrak{g}$, we classify all compatible special Kähler structures by showing that they are in one-to-one correspondence with certain equivalence classes of integral symplectic representations of the Weyl group of $\mathfrak{g}$. We further demonstrate that, for principal Dirac pairing, these equivalence classes are in one-to-one correspondence with the S-duality orbits of the global structures of the corresponding $\mathfrak{g}$ sYM gauge theory, after a mistake in the field theory literature is corrected. This provides a low-energy test of S-duality. We also discuss twisted product geometries made from factors with special Kähler structures with non-principal Dirac pairings.
This paper presents new developments in the study of 3d mirror symmetry and the phase structure of Abelian gauge theories. Previous works identified 3d mirrors for a specific class of theories, termed ``simple" Abelian theories. This work extends this framework by proposing 3d mirrors for ``non-simple" Abelian theories with both discrete and continuous gauge group factors. The proposal is supported by evidence from an exact operator map between the Higgs/Coulomb branch of one theory and the Coulomb/Higgs branch of its 3d mirror. Further support is provided by explicit Hilbert series computations. An algorithm for computing the Hasse (phase) diagram of the Higgs branch of both simple and non-simple Abelian theories is introduced, uncovering a recently discovered family of isolated singularities among the elementary slices. A bottom-up algorithm for computing the Coulomb branch Hasse diagram of these theories is also introduced, and the two algorithms are tested against each other via 3d mirror symmetry.
Non-simply laced quivers, despite the lack of complete Lagrangian descriptions, play an important role in characterising moduli spaces of supersymmetric field theories. Notably, the moduli space of instantons in non-simply laced gauge groups can be understood by means of such quivers. We generalise the notion of non-simply laced unitary quivers to those whose edges carry two labels $(p,q)$, dubbed $(p,q)$-edged quivers. The special case of $(p,1)$ corresponds to a conventional non-simply laced edge studied in the literature. In the case of unframed $(p,q)$-edged quivers, we show how to parametrise the lattice of magnetic fluxes upon ungauging the decoupled $\mathrm{U}(1)$, and how one can pick sublattices thereof corresponding to different global forms of the quiver related by discrete gauging. This form of discrete gauging can be applied to any unframed unitary quivers, not just ones with generalised edges. We utilise both the Hilbert series and the superconformal index to study moduli spaces and 't Hooft anomalies. In particular, we study mixed 't Hooft anomalies between a one-form symmetry and a zero-form continuous topological symmetry in various $(p,q)$-edged quivers. We also provide an alternative realisation of the moduli space of $\mathfrak{so}(2n+1)$ instantons via gauging discrete symmetries in supersymmetric QCD with a symplectic gauge group and a large number of flavours.
Among the elementary building blocks in the atomic classification of 5d SCFTs there are 5d bifundamental conformal matter theories of various kinds. In this work we study the Higgs branch of these models and of the corresponding molecules arising from their fusion. To this aim we use two complementary independent strategies. On the one hand for the type $A$ and $D$ conformal matter, we identify dual $(p,q)$ brane webs in IIB and exploit them to read off the corresponding magnetic quivers. On the other hand, we exploit circle reductions and study the resulting 4d $\mathcal N=2$ SCFTs, giving an alternative derivation of their Higgs branches which extend also to the $E$ types.
't Hooft anomalies of discrete global symmetries and gaugings thereof have rich mathematical structures and far-reaching physical consequences. We examine each subgroup $G$, up to automorphisms, of the permutation group $S_4$ that acts on the four legs of the affine $D_4$ quiver diagram, which is mirror dual to the 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ gauge theory with four flavours. These actions are studied in terms of how each permutation cycle acts on the superconformal index of the theory in question. We present a prescription for refining the index with respect to the fugacities associated with the Abelian discrete symmetries that are subgroups of $G$. This allows us to study sequential gauging of various subgroups of $G$ and construct symmetry webs. We study the effects of 't Hooft anomalies and non-invertible symmetries that arise from discrete gauging on the index. When the whole symmetry $G$ is gauged, our results are in perfect agreement with a type of discrete operations on the quiver, known as wreathing, discussed in the literature. We provide a general prescription for computing the index for any wreathed quivers that contain unitary or special unitary gauge groups. We demonstrate this in an example of the 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ $\mathrm{U}(N)$ gauge theory with $n$ flavours and compare the results with gauging the charge conjugation symmetry associated with the flavour symmetry of such a theory.
We propose magnetic quivers for the complex-symplectic contraction spaces, which are related to implosions and have a natural interpretation in terms of the Moore-Tachikawa category. We use 3-d mirrors to provide computational checks.
We study particular families of bad 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ quiver gauge theories, whose Higgs branches consist of many cones. We show the role of a novel brane configuration in realizing the Higgs moduli for each distinct cone. Through brane constructions, magnetic quivers, Hasse diagrams, and Hilbert series computations we study the intricate structure of the classical Higgs branches. These Higgs branches are both non-normal (since they consist of multiple cones) and non-reduced (due to the presence of nilpotent operators in the chiral ring). Applying the principle of \emph{inversion} to the classical Higgs branch Hasse diagrams, we conjecture the quantum Coulomb branch Hasse diagrams. These Coulomb branches have several most singular loci, corresponding to the the several cones in the Higgs branch. We propose the Hasse diagrams of the full quantum moduli spaces of our theories. The quivers we study can be taken to be 5d effective gauge theories living on brane webs. Their infinite coupling theories have Higgs branches which also consist of multiple cones. Some of these cones have \emph{decorated} magnetic quivers, whose 3d Coulomb branches remain elusive.
Folding identical legs of a simply-laced quiver creates a quiver with a non-simply laced edge. So far, this has been explored for quivers containing unitary gauge groups. In this paper, orthosymplectic quivers are folded, giving rise to a new family of quivers. This is realised by intersecting orientifolds in the brane system. The monopole formula for these non-simply laced orthosymplectic quivers is introduced. Some of the folded quivers have Coulomb branches that are closures of minimal nilpotent orbits of exceptional algebras, thus providing a new construction of these fundamental moduli spaces. Moreover, a general family of folded orthosymplectic quivers is shown to be a new magnetic quiver realisation of Higgs branches of 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories. The Hasse (phase) diagrams of certain families are derived via quiver subtraction as well as Kraft-Procesi transitions in the brane system.
We study the full moduli space of vacua of 6d worldvolume SCFTs on M5 branes probing an $A$-type singularity, focusing on the geometric incarnation of the discrete gauging mechanism which acts as a discrete quotient on the Higgs branch fibered over the tensor branch. We combine insights from brane constructions and magnetic quiver techniques, in which discrete gauging is implemented through the concept of decoration introduced in [arXiv:2202.01218]. We discover and characterize new transverse slices between phases of 6d SCFTs, identifying some of them with a family of isolated symplectic singularities recently discovered in [arXiv:2112.15494], and conjecturing the existence of two new isolated symplectic singularities.
We study the 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ RG-flows triggered by Fayet-Iliopoulos deformations in unitary quiver theories. These deformations can be implemented by a new quiver algorithm which contains at its heart a problem at the intersection of linear algebra and graph theory. When interpreted as magnetic quivers for SQFTs in various dimensions, our results provide a systematic way to explore RG-flows triggered by mass deformations and generalizations thereof. This is illustrated by case studies of SQCD theories and low rank 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ SCFTs. A delightful by-product of our work is the discovery of an interesting new 3d mirror pair.
Hasse diagrams (or phase diagrams) for moduli spaces of supersymmetric field theories have been intensively studied in recent years, and many tools to compute them have been developed. The moduli space of instantons, despite being well studied, has proven difficult to deal with. In this note we explore the Hasse diagram of this moduli space from several perspectives -- using the partial Higgs mechanism, using brane systems and using quiver subtraction -- having to refine previously developed techniques. In particular we introduce the new concept of decorated quiver, which allows to deal with a large class of unitary quivers, including those with adjoint matter.
We propose magnetic quivers for partial implosion spaces. Such partial implosions involve a choice of parabolic subgroup, with the Borel subgroup corresponding to the standard implosion. In the subregular case we test the conjecture by verifying that reduction by the Levi group gives the appropriate nilpotent orbit closure. In the case of a parabolic corresponding to a hook diagram we are also able to carry out this verification provided we work at nonzero Fayet-Iliopoulos parameters.
We solve a long standing problem on the computation of the Higgs branch $\mathcal{H}$ of linear quivers with 8 supercharges and with both unitary and special unitary gauge nodes. The solution uses the concept of magnetic quivers, where components of $\mathcal{H}$ are described as 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ Coulomb branches. When the starting quiver is good, there is a single component in $\mathcal{H}$ and the magnetic quiver is a 3d mirror. The magnetic quivers are obtained from studying the brane web for an auxiliary 5d theory (with only special unitary gauge groups), constrained by a new notion called brane locking, where some branes are required to move together. We view this as a computational tool rather than an operation in 5d. A detailed algorithm is given, and implemented in a code available for download.
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.
Brane systems provide a large class of gauge theories that arise in string theory. This paper demonstrates how such brane systems fit with a somewhat exotic geometric object, called the affine Grassmannian. This gives a strong motivation to study physical aspects of the affine Grassmannian. Explicit quivers are presented throughout the paper, and a quiver addition algorithm to generate the affine Grassmannian is introduced. An important outcome of this study is a set of quivers for new elementary slices.
We propose quivers for Coulomb branch constructions of universal implosions for orthogonal and symplectic groups, extending the work on special unitary groups in arXiv:2004.09620. The quivers are unitary-orthosymplectic as opposed to the purely unitary quivers in the A-type case. Where possible we check our proposals using Hilbert series techniques.