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Kimyeong Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Kimyeong Lee.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Equivalence of several descriptions for 6d SCFT

We show that the three different looking BPS partition functions, namely the elliptic genus of the 6d $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ $Sp(1)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors and a tensor multiplet, the Nekrasov partition function of the 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $Sp(2)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors, and the Nekrasov partition function of the 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $SU(3)$ gauge theory with $10$ flavors, are all equal to each other under specific maps among gauge theory parameters. This result strongly suggests that the three gauge theories have an identical UV fixed point. Type IIB 5-brane web diagrams play an essential role to compute the $SU(3)$ Nekrasov partition function as well as establishing the maps.

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More on 5d descriptions of 6d SCFTs

We propose new five-dimensional gauge theory descriptions of six-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ superconformal field theories arising from type IIA brane configurations including an $ON^0$-plane. The new five-dimensional gauge theories may have $SO$, $Sp$, and $SU$ gauge groups and further broaden the landscape of ultraviolet complete five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge theories. When we include an $O8^-$-plane in addition to an $ON^0$-plane, T-duality yields two $O7^-$-planes at the intersections of an $ON^0$-plane and two $O5^0$-planes. We propose a novel resolution of the $O7^-$-plane with four D7-branes in such a configuration, which enables us to obtain three different types of five-dimensional gauge theories, depending on whether we resolve either none or one or two $O7^-$-planes. Such different possibilities yield a new five-dimensional duality between a D-type $SU$ quiver and an $SO-Sp$ quiver theories. We also claim that a twisted circle compactification of a six-dimensional superconformal field theory may lead to a five-dimensional gauge theory different from those obtained by a simple circle compactification.

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Bootstrapping Pure Quantum Gravity in AdS3

The three-dimensional pure quantum gravity with negative cosmological constant is supposed to be dual to the extremal conformal field theory of central charge $c=24k$ in two dimensions. We employ the conformal bootstrap method to analyze the extremal CFTs, and find numerical evidence for the non-existence of the extremal CFTs for sufficiently large central charge ($k \ge 20$). We also explore near-extremal CFTs, a small modification of extremal ones, and find similar evidence for their non-existence for large central charge. This indicates, under the assumption of holomorphic factorization, the pure gravity in the weakly curved AdS$_3$ do not exist as a consistent quantum theory.

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Indices for 6 dimensional superconformal field theories

We review some recent developments in the 6 dimensional (2, 0) superconformal field theories, focusing on their BPS spectra in the Coulomb and symmetric phases computed by various Witten indices. We shall discuss the instanton partition function of 5d maximal super-Yang-Mills theory, and the 6d superconformal index.

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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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A new 5d description of 6d D-type minimal conformal matter

We propose a new 5d description of the circle-compactified 6d $(D_{N+4}, D_{N+4})$ minimal conformal matter theory which can be approached by the 6d $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ $Sp(N)$ gauge theory with $N_f=2N+8$ flavors and one tensor multiplet. Compactifying the brane set-up for the 6d theory, we arrive at a 5-brane Tao diagram for 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $SU(N+2)$ theory of the vanishing Chern-Simons level with $2N+8$ flavors. We conjecture that the 6d theory is recovered as the UV fixed point of this 5d theory. We show that the global symmetry of this 5d theory is $SO(4N+16)$ identical to that of the 6d theory by analyzing the 7-brane monodromy. By using the Tao diagram, we also find the instanton fugacity is exactly given by the circle radius. By decoupling flavors in this 5d theory, one can obtain all the 5d $SU(N+2)$ gauge theories of various Chern-Simons levels and corresponding enhanced global symmetries at the 5d UV fixed point.

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Little strings and T-duality

We study the 2d N = 4 gauge theory descriptions of little strings on type II NS5- branes. The IIB strings on N NS5-branes are described by the N = (4,4) gauge theories, whose Higgs branch CFTs on U(N) instanton moduli spaces are relevant. The IIA strings are described by N = (4,4) circular A_{N-1} quiver theories, whose Coulomb branch CFTs are relevant. We study new N = (0,4) quiver gauge theories for the IIA strings, which make it easier to study some infrared observables. In particular, we show that the elliptic genera of the IIA / IIB strings precisely map to each other by T-duality.

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Super-Yang-Mills theories on S4 x R

We construct super-Yang-Mills theories on S4 x R, S4 x S1 and S4 x interval with the field content of maximal SYM, coupled to boundary degrees in the last case. These theories provide building blocks of the `5d uplifts' of gauge theories on S4, obtained by compactifying the 6d (2,0) theory. We pay special attention to the N=2* theory on S4. We also explain how to construct maximal SYM on S5 x R, and clarify when SYM theories can be put on S^n x R.

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The general M5-brane superconformal index

We calculate and study the general superconformal index for the 6d U(N) (2,0) theory with four chemical potentials, from the indices of gauge theories on CP^2 x R. Our index agrees with the large N supergravity index on AdS_7 x S^4 at low energies, and also yields the negative 'Casimir energy' with an N^3 scaling which was recently calculated from a QFT on S^5. Our approach also suggests a systematic study of the (1,0) superconformal indices.

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Supersymmetric M5 Brane Theories on R x CP2

We propose 4 and 12 supersymmetric Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theories on $\mathrm{R\times CP^2}$ obtained by twisted $\mathrm{Z}_k$ moddings and dimensional reduction of the 6d (2,0) superconformal field theories on $\mathrm{R\times S^5}$. These theories have a discrete coupling constant $\frac{1}{g^2_{YM}} =\frac{k}{4π^2}$ so that instantons represent the Kaluza-Klein modes correctly. We calculate the perturbative part of the SU(N) gauge group Euclidean path integral for the index function and confirm it with the known half-BPS index. The scalar and fermionic fields have the conformal dimension prescribed by the 6d theory. From the similar twisted $Z_k$ modding of the $\mathrm{AdS_7\times S^4}$ geometry, we speculate that the $M$ region is for $k\lesssim N^{1/3}$ and the type IIA region is $N^{1/3}\lesssim k \lesssim N$. When nonperturbative corrections are included, our theory is expected to produce the full index of the 6d (2,0) theory.

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Quantum Mechanical Hamiltonians with Large Ground-State Degeneracy

Nonrelativistic Hamiltonians with large, even infinite, ground-state degeneracy are studied by connecting the degeneracy to the property of a Dirac operator. We then identify a special class of Hamiltonians, for which the full space of degenerate ground states in any spatial dimension can be exhibited explicitly. The two-dimensional version of the latter coincides with the Pauli Hamiltonian, and recently-discussed models leading to higher-dimensional Landau levels are obtained as special cases of the higher-dimensional version of this Hamiltonian. But, in our framework, it is only the asymptotic behavior of the background `potential' that matters for the ground-state degeneracy. We work out in detail the ground states of the three-dimensional model in the presence of a uniform magnetic field and such potential. In the latter case one can see degenerate stacking of all 2d Landau levels along the magnetic field axis.

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5-dim Superconformal Index with Enhanced En Global Symmetry

The five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge theory with Sp(N) gauge group and SO(2N_f) flavor symmetry describes the physics on N D4-branes with $N_f$ D8-branes on top of a single O8 orientifold plane in Type I' theory. This theory is known to be superconformal at the strong coupling limit with the enhanced global symmetry $E_{N_f+1}$ for $N_f\le 7$. In this work we calculate the superconformal index on $S^1\times S^4$ for the Sp(1) gauge theory by the localization method and confirm such enhancement of the global symmetry at the superconformal limit for $N_f\le 5$ to a few leading orders in the chemical potential. Both perturbative and (anti)instanton contributions are present in this calculation. For $N_f=6,7$ cases some issues related the pole structure of the instanton calculation could not be resolved and here we could provide only some suggestive answer for the leading contributions to the index. For the Sp(N) case, similar issues related to the pole structure appear.

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Superconformal Index with Duality Domain Wall

We study a superconformal index for ${\cal N}=4$ super Yang-Mills on $S^1 \times S^3$ with a half BPS duality domain wall inserted at the great two-sphere in $S^3$. The index is obtained by coupling the 3d generalized superconformal index on the duality domain wall with 4d half-indices. We further consider insertions of line operators to the configuration and propose integral equations which express that the 3d index on duality domain wall is a duality kernel relating half indices of two line operators related by the duality map. We explicitly check the proposed integral equations for various duality domain walls and line operators in the ${\cal N}=4$ SU(2) theory. We also briefly comment on a generalization to $\mathcal{N}=2$ $A_1$ Gaiotto theories with a simple example, ${\cal N}=2$ SU(2) SYM with four flavors.

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Line Operator Index on S1 $\times$ S3

We derive a general formula of an index for N = 2 superconformal field theories on S1 \times S3 with insertions of BPS Wilson line or 't Hooft line operator at the north pole and their anti-counterpart at the south pole of S3. One-loop and monopole bubbling effects are taken into account in the computation. As examples, we calculate the indices for N = 4 theories and N = 2 SU(2) theory with Nf = 4, and find good agreements between indices of line operators related by S-duality. The relation between Verlinde loop operators and the indices is explored. The holographic correspondence between the fundamental (anti-symmetric) Wilson line operator and the fundamental string (D5 brane) in AdS5\timesS5 is confirmed by the index comparison.

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On instantons as Kaluza-Klein modes of M5-branes

Instantons and W-bosons in 5d maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory arise from a circle compactification of the 6d (2,0) theory as Kaluza-Klein modes and winding self-dual strings, respectively. We study an index which counts BPS instantons with electric charges in Coulomb and symmetric phases. We first prove the existence of unique threshold bound state of (noncommutative) U(1) instantons for any instanton number, and also show that charged instantons in the Coulomb phase correctly give the degeneracy of SU(2) self-dual strings. By studying SU(N) self-dual strings in the Coulomb phase, we find novel momentum-carrying degrees on the worldsheet. The total number of these degrees equals the anomaly coefficient of SU(N) (2,0) theory. We finally show that our index can be used to study the symmetric phase of this theory, and provide an interpretation as the superconformal index of the sigma model on instanton moduli space.

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ABCD of 3d ${\cal N}=8$ and 4 Superconformal Field Theories

We argue the equivalence between the infrared conformal field theory of the 3d $\mathcal{N}=8$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories of ABCD ($U(N), SO(2N+1), Sp(2N), O(2N)$) gauge groups and the ABJ(M) theories of $U(N)_k\times U(\tilde N)_{-k}$ for $k=1,2$. We support this duality by comparing the superconformal index of the IR limit of these super Yang-Mills theories and that of those ABJ(M) models. Especially we find the match between two indices of (mirror dual of) the $\mathcal{N}=8$ U(N) SYM and of $U(N)_1\times U(N)_{-1}$ ABJM model. Also we take large $N$ limit of ABCD super Yang-Mills theories with additional fundamental hyper-multiplets and infer the large N limit of $\mathcal{N}=8$ ABCD theories themselves, finding the expected gravitational duals. With the additional input on finite N, we argue the equivalence of Yang-Mills and ABJ(M) theories for all N. We further explore similar dualities to Chern-Simons matter theories for $\mathcal{N}=4$ Yang-Mills theories related by mirror symmetry.

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Instanton Partons in 5-dim SU(N) Gauge Theory

The circle compactification of the 6-dim (2,0) superconformal theory of $A_{N-1}$ type leads the 5-dim SU(N) maximally supersymmetric gauge theory. Instanton solitons embody Kaluza-Klein modes and are conjectured to be composed of partonic constituents. We realize such a parton of 1/N instanton topological charge at the intersection of magnetic flux sheets. After a further compactification with nontrivial Wilson line expectation value, instantons or calorons have been shown to be split into fundamental monopoles of fractional instanton charge. In the symmetric phase with trivial Wilson line expectation value, BPS instanton partons emerge more concretely as nonabelian BPS monopoles of minimum charge allowed in Dirac quantization.

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