Summary of Results in N=1 Supersymmetric SU(2) Gauge Theories

We summarize some results in 4d, N=1 supersymmetric SU(2) gauge theories: the exact effective superpotentials, the vacuum structure, and the exact effective Abelian couplings for arbitrary bare masses and Yukawa couplings.Comment: 13 page

Dynamical Supersymmetry Breaking versus Run-away behavior in Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

We consider Dynamical Supersymmetry Breaking (DSB) in models with classical flat directions. We analyze a number of examples, and develop a systematic approach to determine if classical flat directions are stabilized in the full quantum theory, or lead to run-away behavior. In some cases pseudo-flat directions remain even at the quantum level before taking into account corrections to the K\"ahler potential. We show that in certain limits these corrections are calculable. In particular, we find that in the Intriligator-Thomas $SU(2)$ and its generalizations, a potential for moduli is generated. Moreover, there is a region of the parameter space where K\"ahler potential corrections lead to calculable (local) minima at large but finite distance from the origin.Comment: 13 pages, uses harvmac; discussion of run-away behavior in $SU(N-M) \times SU(N)$ model is clarifie

Holomorphy and dynamical scales in supersymmetric gauge theories

New recent results in supersymmetric gauge theories based on holomorphy and symmetry considerations are extended to the case where the gauge coupling constant is given by the real part of a chiral superfield. We assume here that its dynamics can be described by an effective quantum field theory. Then its vacuum expectation value is a function of the other coupling constants, viewed as chiral background superfields. This functional dependence can be determined exactly and satisfies highly non-trivial consistency checks.Comment: 14 pages, LaTe

Fusion Residues

We discuss when and how the Verlinde dimensions of a rational conformal field theory can be expressed as correlation functions in a topological LG theory. It is seen that a necessary condition is that the RCFT fusion rules must exhibit an extra symmetry. We consider two particular perturbations of the Grassmannian superpotentials. The topological LG residues in one perturbation, introduced by Gepner, are shown to be a twisted version of the $SU(N)_k$ Verlinde dimensions. The residues in the other perturbation are the twisted Verlinde dimensions of another RCFT; these topological LG correlation functions are conjectured to be the correlation functions of the corresponding Grassmannian topological sigma model with a coupling in the action to instanton number.Comment: 16 page

More Results in N=1N=1 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

We present the exact effective superpotentials in $4d$, $N=1$ supersymmetric $SU(2)$ gauge theories with $N_3$ triplets and $N_2$ doublets of matter superfields. For the theories with a single triplet matter superfield we present the exact gauge couplings for arbitrary bare masses and Yukawa couplings.Comment: 9 page

6d, N=(1,0) Coulomb Branch Anomaly Matching

6d QFTs are constrained by the analog of 't Hooft anomaly matching: all anomalies for global symmetries and metric backgrounds are constants of RG flows, and for all vacua in moduli spaces. We discuss an anomaly matching mechanism for 6d N=(1,0) theories on their Coulomb branch. It is a global symmetry analog of Green-Schwarz-West-Sagnotti anomaly cancellation, and requires the apparent anomaly mismatch to be a perfect square, $\Delta I_8={1\over 2}X_4^2$. Then $\Delta I_8$ is cancelled by making $X_4$ an electric / magnetic source for the tensor multiplet, so background gauge field instantons yield charged strings. This requires the coefficients in $X_4$ to be integrally quantized. We illustrate this for N=(2,0) theories. We also consider the N=(1,0) SCFTs from N small $E_8$ instantons, verifying that the recent result for its anomaly polynomial fits with the anomaly matching mechanism.Comment: 12 pages, no figure

Superalgebras in N=1N=1 Gauge Theories

$N=1$ supersymmetric gauge theories with global flavor symmetries contain a gauge invariant W-superalgebra which acts on its moduli space of gauge invariants. With adjoint matter, this superalgebra reduces to a graded Lie algebra. When the gauge group is $SO(n_c)$, with vector matter, it is a W-algebra, and the primary invariants form one of its representation. The same superalgebra exists in the dual theory, but its construction in terms of the dual fields suggests that duality may be understood in terms of a charge conjugation within the algebra. We extend the analysis to the gauge group $E_6$.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Letters B, 12 pages,tex, macros include

RG Fixed Points and Flows in SQCD with Adjoints

We map out and explore the zoo of possible 4d N=1 superconformal theories which are obtained as RG fixed points of N=1 SQCD with N_f fundamental and N_a adjoint matter representations. Using "a-maximization," we obtain exact operator dimensions at all RG fixed points and classify all relevant, Landau-Ginzburg type, adjoint superpotential deformations. Such deformations can be used to RG flow to new SCFTs, which are then similarly analyzed. Remarkably, the resulting 4d SCFT classification coincides with Arnold's ADE singularity classification. The exact superconformal R-charge and the central charge a are computed for all of these theories. RG flows between the different fixed points are analyzed, and all flows are verified to be compatible with the conjectured a-theorem.Comment: 59 pages, 29 figure