Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Maxim Zabzine

Publications and source records attributed to Maxim Zabzine.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Solving q-Virasoro constraints

We show how q-Virasoro constraints can be derived for a large class of (q,t)-deformed eigenvalue matrix models by an elementary trick of inserting certain q-difference operators under the integral, in complete analogy with full-derivative insertions for beta-ensembles. From free-field point of view the models considered have zero momentum of the highest weight, which leads to an extra constraint T_{-1} Z = 0. We then show how to solve these q-Virasoro constraints recursively and comment on the possible applications for gauge theories, for instance calculation of (supersymmetric) Wilson loop averages in gauge theories on D^2 \cross S^1 and S^3.

hep-th↗

S-duality and supersymmetry on curved manifolds

We perform a systematic study of S-duality for ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric non-linear abelian theories on a curved manifold. Localization can be used to compute certain supersymmetric observables in these theories. We point out that localization and S-duality acting as a Legendre transform are not compatible. For these theories S-duality should be interpreted as Fourier transform and we provide some evidence for this. We also suggest the notion of a coholomological prepotential for an abelian theory that gives the same partition function as a given non-abelian supersymmetric theory.

hep-th↗

Transversally Elliptic Complex and Cohomological Field Theory

This work is a continuation of our previous paper arXiv:1812.06473 where we have constructed ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on 4D manifolds with a Killing vector field with isolated fixed points. In this work we expand on the mathematical aspects of the theory, with a particular focus on its nature as a cohomological field theory. The well-known Donaldson-Witten theory is a twisted version of ${\cal N}=2$ SYM and can also be constructed using the Atiyah-Jeffrey construction. This theory is concerned with the moduli space of anti-self-dual gauge connections, with a deformation theory controlled by an elliptic complex. More generally, supersymmetry requires considering configurations that look like either instantons or anti-instantons around fixed points, which we call flipping instantons. The flipping instantons of our 4D ${\cal N}=2$ theory are derived from the 5D contact instantons. The novelty is that their deformation theory is controlled by a transversally elliptic complex, which we demonstrate here. We repeat the Atiyah-Jeffrey construction in the equivariant setting and arrive at the Lagrangian (an equivariant Euler class in the relevant field space) that was also obtained from our previous work arXiv:1812.06473. We show that the transversal ellipticity of the deformation complex is crucial for the non-degeneracy of the Lagrangian and the calculability of the theory. Our construction is valid on a large class of quasi toric 4 manifolds.

hep-th↗

Equivariant Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism

We study an equivariant extension of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism for quantizing gauge theories. Namely, we introduce a general framework to encompass failures of the quantum master equation, and we apply it to the natural equivariant extension of AKSZ solutions of the classical master equation (CME). As examples of the construction, we recover the equivariant extension of supersymmetric Yang-Mills in 2d and of Donaldson-Witten theory.

hep-th↗

Twisting with a Flip (the Art of Pestunization)

We construct ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on 4D manifolds with a Killing vector field with isolated fixed points. It turns out that for every fixed point one can allocate either instanton or anti-instanton contributions to the partition function, and that this is compatible with supersymmetry. The equivariant Donaldson-Witten theory is a special case of our construction. We present a unified treatment of Pestun's calculation on $S^4$ and equivariant Donaldson-Witten theory by generalizing the notion of self-duality on manifolds with a vector field. We conjecture the full partition function for a ${\cal N}=2$ theory on any 4D manifold with a Killing vector. Using this new notion of self-duality to localize a supersymmetric theory is what we call "Pestunization".

hep-th↗

7D supersymmetric Yang-Mills on hypertoric 3-Sasakian manifolds

We study 7D maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on 3-Sasakian manifolds. For manifolds whose hyper-Kähler cones are hypertoric we derive the perturbative part of the partition function. The answer involves a special function that counts integer lattice points in a rational convex polyhedral cone determined by hypertoric data. This also gives a more geometric structure to previous enumeration results of holomorphic functions in the literature. Based on physics intuition, we provide a factorisation result for such functions. The full proof of this factorisation using index calculations will be detailed in a forthcoming paper.

hep-th↗

Exact SUSY Wilson loops on $S^3$ from $q$-Virasoro constraints

Using the ideas from the BPS/CFT correspondence, we give an explicit recursive formula for computing supersymmetric Wilson loop averages in 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons $U(N)$ theory on the squashed sphere $S^3_b$ with one adjoint chiral and two antichiral fundamental multiplets, for specific values of Chern-Simons level $κ_2$ and Fayet-Illiopoulos parameter $κ_1$. For these values of $κ_1$ and $κ_2$ the north and south pole turn out to be completely independent, and therefore Wilson loop averages factorize into answers for the two constituent $D^2 \times S^1$ theories. In particular, our formula provides results for the theory on the round sphere when the squashing is removed.

hep-th↗

3d Mirror Symmetry from S-duality

We consider type IIB $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ symmetry to relate the partition functions of different 5d supersymmetric Abelian linear quiver Yang-Mills theories in the $Ω$-background and squashed $S^5$ background. By Higgsing S-dual theories, we extract new and old 3d mirror pairs. Generically, the Higgsing procedure yields 3d defects on intersecting spaces, and we derive new hyperbolic integral identities expressing the equivalence of the squashed $S^3$ partition functions with additional degrees of freedom on the $S^1$ intersection.

hep-th↗

Bootstrapping the $S^5$ partition function

We consider $U(N)$ SQCD on $S^5$ and propose a Higgs branch-like expression for its partition function. We support the result by arguing that the knowledge of certain BPS codimension 2 and 4 defects arising from Higgsing is enough to reconstruct the bulk partition function, and that the defect partition functions satisfy a set of non-perturbative Schwinger-Dyson equations. We show that the result is consistent with, and naturally come from, the BPS/CFT perspective. In this language, the defect partition functions are identified with free boson correlators of the $q$-Virasoro modular triple, and the constraint equations with Ward identities satisfied by the corresponding Dotsenko-Fateev $q$-conformal blocks, providing a natural basis to expand the $S^5$ partition function.

hep-th↗

Morita equivalence and the generalized Kähler potential

We solve the problem of determining the fundamental degrees of freedom underlying a generalized Kähler structure of symplectic type. For a usual Kähler structure, it is well-known that the geometry is determined by a complex structure, a Kähler class, and the choice of a positive $(1,1)$-form in this class, which depends locally on only a single real-valued function: the Kähler potential. Such a description for generalized Kähler geometry has been sought since it was discovered in 1984. We show that a generalized Kähler structure of symplectic type is determined by a pair of holomorphic Poisson manifolds, a holomorphic symplectic Morita equivalence between them, and the choice of a positive Lagrangian brane bisection, which depends locally on only a single real-valued function, which we call the generalized Kähler potential. Our solution draws upon, and specializes to, the many results in the physics literature which solve the problem under the assumption (which we do not make) that the Poisson structures involved have constant rank. To solve the problem we make use of, and generalize, two main tools: the first is the notion of symplectic Morita equivalence, developed by Weinstein and Xu to study Poisson manifolds; the second is Donaldson's interpretation of a Kähler metric as a real Lagrangian submanifold in a deformation of the holomorphic cotangent bundle.

math.DG↗

3d Expansions of 5d Instanton Partition Functions

We propose a set of novel expansions of Nekrasov's instanton partition functions. Focusing on 5d supersymmetric pure Yang-Mills theory with unitary gauge group on $\mathbb{C}^2_{q,t^{-1}} \times \mathbb{S}^1$, we show that the instanton partition function admits expansions in terms of partition functions of unitary gauge theories living on the 3d subspaces $\mathbb{C}_{q} \times \mathbb{S}^1$, $\mathbb{C}_{t^{-1}} \times \mathbb{S}^1$ and their intersection along $\mathbb{S}^1$. These new expansions are natural from the BPS/CFT viewpoint, as they can be matched with $W_{q,t}$ correlators involving an arbitrary number of screening charges of two kinds. Our constructions generalize and interpolate existing results in the literature.

hep-th↗

7D supersymmetric Yang-Mills on curved manifolds

We study 7D maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on curved manifolds that admit Killing spinors. If the manifold admits at least two Killing spinors (Sasaki-Einstein manifolds) we are able to rewrite the supersymmetric theory in terms of a cohomological complex. In principle this cohomological complex makes sense for any K-contact manifold. For the case of toric Sasaki-Einstein manifolds we derive explicitly the perturbative part of the partition function and speculate about the non-perturbative part. We also briefly discuss the case of 3-Sasaki manifolds and suggest a plausible form for the full non-perturbative answer.

hep-th↗

$q$-Virasoro modular triple

Inspired by 5d supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories placed on the compact space $\mathbb{S}^5$, we propose an intriguing algebraic construction for the $q$-Virasoro algebra. We show that, when multiple $q$-Virasoro "chiral" sectors have to be fused together, a natural $\mathrm{SL}(3,\mathbb{Z})$ structure arises. This construction, which we call the modular triple, is consistent with the observed triple factorization properties of supersymmetric partition functions derived from localization arguments. We also give a 2d CFT-like construction of the modular triple, and conjecture for the first time a (non-local) Lagrangian formulation for a $q$-Virasoro model, resembling ordinary Liouville theory.

hep-th↗

Elliptic modular double and 4d partition functions

We consider 4d supersymmetric (special) unitary $Γ$ quiver gauge theories on compact manifolds which are $T^2$ fibrations over $S^2$. We show that their partition functions are correlators of vertex operators and screening charges of the modular double version of elliptic $W_{q,t;q'}(Γ)$ algebras. We also consider a generating function of BPS surface defects supported on $T^2$ and show that it can be identified with a particular coherent state in the Fock module over the elliptic Heisenberg algebra.

hep-th↗

$q$-Virasoro modular double and 3d partition functions

We study partition functions of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ U(N) gauge theories on compact manifolds which are $S^1$ fibrations over $S^2$. We show that the partition functions are free field correlators of vertex operators and screening charges of the $q$-Virasoro modular double, which we define. The inclusion of supersymmetric Wilson loops in arbitrary representations allows us to show that the generating functions of Wilson loop vacuum expectation values satisfy two SL(2,$\mathbb{Z}$)-related commuting sets of $q$-Virasoro constraints. We generalize our construction to 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ unitary quiver gauge theories and as an example we give the free boson realization of the ABJ(M) model.

hep-th↗

N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory on connected sums of $S^2\times S^2$

We construct 4D $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories on an infinite family of 4D toric manifolds with the topology of connected sums of $S^2 \times S^2$. These theories are constructed through the dimensional reduction along a non-trivial $U(1)$-fiber of 5D theories on toric Sasaki-Einstein manifolds. We discuss the conditions under which such reductions can be carried out and give a partial classification result of the resulting 4D manifolds. We calculate the partition functions of these 4D theories and they involve both instanton and anti-instanton contributions, thus generalizing Pestun's famous result on $S^4$.

hep-th↗

Introduction to localization in quantum field theory

This is the introductory chapter to the volume. We review the main idea of the localization technique and its brief history both in geometry and in QFT. We discuss localization in diverse dimensions and give an overview of the major applications of the localization calculations for supersymmetric theories. We explain the focus of the present volume.

hep-th↗

Review of localization for 5d supersymmetric gauge theories

We give a pedagogical review of the localization of supersymmetric gauge theory on 5d toric Sasaki-Einstein manifolds. We construct the cohomological complex resulting from supersymmetry and consider its natural toric deformations with all equivariant parameters turned on. We also give detailed discussion on how the Sasaki-Einstein geometry permeates every aspect of the calculation, from Killing spinor, vanishing theorems to the index theorems.

hep-th↗