Singularities of N=1 Supersymmetric Gauge Theory and Matrix Models

Abstract

In N=1 supersymmetric U(N) gauge theory with adjoint matter $\Phi$ and polynomial tree-level superpotential $W(\Phi )$, the massless fluctuations about each quantum vacuum are generically described by $U(1{)}^n$ gauge theory for some n. However, by tuning the parameters of $W(\Phi )$ to non-generic values, we can reach singular vacua where additional fields become massless. Using both the matrix model prescription and the strong-coupling approach, we study in detail three examples of such singularities: the singularities of the n=1 branch, intersections of n=1 and n=2 branches, and a class of N=1 Argyres-Douglas points. In all three examples, we find that the matrix model description of the low-energy physics breaks down in some way at the singularity.

arXiv comment29 pages, 1 figure. Revised section 1, fixed misprints in section 3.1, added clarifications and references

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Cited by in corpus (4)

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• Non-Critical Superstrings from Four-Dimensional Gauge Theory
• More on N=1 Matrix Model Curve for Arbitrary N
• The Matrix Model Curve Near the Singularities