Dimer Models, Free Fermions and Super Quantum Mechanics
arXiv:0705.1645
Abstract
This note relates topics in statistical mechanics, graph theory and combinatorics, lattice quantum field theory, super quantum mechanics and string theory. We give a precise relation between the dimer model on a graph embedded on a torus and the massless free Majorana fermion living on the same lattice. A loop expansion of the fermion determinant is performed, where the loops turn out to be compositions of two perfect matchings. These loop states are sorted into co-chain groups using categorification techniques similar to the ones used for categorifying knot polynomials. The Euler characteristic of the resulting co-chain complex recovers the Newton polynomial of the dimer model. We re-interpret this system as supersymmetric quantum mechanics, where configurations with vanishing net winding number form the ground states. Finally, we make use of the quiver gauge theory - dimer model correspondence to obtain an interpretation of the loops in terms of the physics of D-branes probing a toric Calabi-Yau singularity.
minor corrections, reference added
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