We propose a relation between correlation functions in the 2d A_{N-1} conformal Toda theories and the Nekrasov instanton partition functions in certain conformal N=2 SU(N) 4d quiver gauge theories. Our proposal generalises the recently uncovered relation between the Liouville theory and SU(2) quivers. New features appear in the analysis that have no counterparts in the Liouville case.
We study on the property of 3-point correlation functions of 2-dim A_{N-1} Toda field theory, and show the correspondence with the 1-loop part of partition function of 4-dim N=2 SU(N) quiver gauge theory. As a result, we can check successfully the 1-loop part of AGT-W relation for all the cases of SU(N) quiver gauge group.
We give some evidences of the AGT-W relation between SU(3) quiver gauge theories and A_2 Toda theory. In particular, we derive the explicit form of 5-point correlation functions in the lower orders and confirm the agreement with Nekrasov's partition function for SU(3)xSU(3) quiver gauge theory. The algorithm to derive the correlation functions can be applied to general n-point function in A_2 Toda theory which will be useful to establish the relation for more generic quivers. Partial analysis is also given for SU(3)xSU(2) case and we comment on some technical issues which need clarification be…
Within the electrostatic formulation of holographic duals to (balanced) conformal quivers in five and three dimensions, we study Wilson loops in antisymmetric representations. We derive general expressions for various quantities participating in the formalism (VEV of Wilson loops, representation, gauge-node) and apply these to examples, connecting some results present in the bibliography. In the case of three dimensional quivers, we present a relation between Wilson loops in an 'electric' and in the 'magnetic/mirror' descriptions. In a very detailed appendix, we relate the electrostatic and ho…
We discuss the four dimensional models obtained by compactifying a single M5 brane probing $D_{N}$ singularity (minimal D-type $(1,0)$ conformal matter in six dimensions) on a torus with flux for abelian subgroups of the $SO(4N)$ flavor symmetry. We derive the resulting quiver field theories in four dimensions by first compactifying on a circle and relating the flux to duality domain walls in five dimensions. This leads to novel ${\cal N}=1$ dualities in 4 dimensions which arise from distinct five dimensional realizations of the circle compactifications of the D-type conformal matter.
In this note we compute the expectation value of a circular BPS Wilson loop in the higher rank totally symmetric and antisymmetric representations of SU(N) in the $\hat{A}_1$ quiver $\mathcal{N} = 2$ SCFT, using a matrix model. We discuss the connection with a recent conjecture stating that expectation values of observables in this sector are obtained from $\mathcal{N = 4}$ SYM by a universal renormalization of the `t Hooft coupling.
The conjecture about the correspondence between instanton partition functions in the N=2 SUSY Yang-Mills theory and conformal blocks of two-dimensional conformal field theories is extended to the case of the N=1 supersymmetric conformal blocks. We find that the necessary modification of the moduli space of instantons requires additional restriction of Z(2)-symmetry. This leads to an explicit form of the N=1 superconformal blocks in terms of Young diagrams with two sorts of cells.
We discuss several examples of non-toric quiver gauge theories dual to Sasaki-Einstein manifolds with U(1)^2 or U(1) isometry. We give a general method for constructing non-toric examples by adding relevant deformations to the toric case. For all examples, we are able to make a complete comparison between the prediction for R-charges based on geometry and on quantum field theory. We also give a general discussion of the spectrum of conformal dimensions for mesonic and baryonic operators for a generic quiver theory; in the toric case we make an explicit comparison between R-charges of mesons an…
Abelian quiver gauge theories provide nonsupersymmetric candidates for the conformality approach to physics beyond the standard model. Written as ${\cal N}=0$, $U(N)^n$ gauge theories, however, they have mixed $U(1)_p U(1)_q^2$ and $U(1)_p SU(N)_q^2$ triangle anomalies. It is shown how to construct explicitly a compensatory term $Δ{\cal L}_{comp}$ which restores gauge invariance of ${\cal L}_{eff} = {\cal L} + Δ{\cal L}_{comp}$ under $U(N)^n$. It can lead to a negative contribution to the U(1) $β$-function and hence to one-loop conformality at high energy for all dimensionless couplings.
The possibility that non-supersymmetric quiver theories may have a renormalization-group fixed point at which there is conformal invariance requires non-perturbative information.
The relation between the partition function of N=2 gauge theories in 4d and conformal Toda field theory in 2d is explained for the case where the 4d theory is a linear quiver with "quiver tails". That is when the 4d theory has gauge groups of different rank. We propose an identification of a subset of the states of Toda CFT which represent the Coulomb-branch parameters of the different rank gauge multiplets and study their three-point functions and descendants.
We study the 4d/2d AGT correspondence between four-dimensional instanton counting and two-dimensional conformal blocks for generalized SU(2) quiver gauge theories coming from punctured Gaiotto curves of arbitrary genus. We propose a conformal block description that corresponds to the elementary SU(2) trifundamental half-hypermultiplet, and check it against Sp(1)-SO(4) instanton counting.
We study N=2 super-conformal field theories in four dimensions that correspond to mass-deformed linear quivers with n gauge groups and (bi-)fundamental matter. We describe them using Seiberg-Witten curves obtained from an M-theory construction and via the AGT correspondence. We take particular care in obtaining the detailed relation between the parameters appearing in these descriptions and the physical quantities of the quiver gauge theories. This precise map allows us to efficiently reconstruct the non-perturbative prepotential that encodes the effective IR properties of these theories. We g…
We study various orientifold projections of 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ toric gauge theories, associated with CY singularities known as $L^{a,b,a}/\mathbb{Z}_2$, with $a+b$ even. We obtain superconformal chiral theories that have the same central charge, anomalies and superconformal index, whereas they were different before the orientifold. Some of these projections are implemented by a novel type of orientifold without fixed loci, known as glide orientifold. We claim that these theories flow to the same conformal manifold, and they are connected by quadratic exactly marginal deformations. The latter c…
We review the quiver matrix model (the ITEP model) in the light of the recent progress on 2d-4d connection of conformal field theories, in particular, on the relation between Toda field theories and a class of quiver superconformal gauge theories. On the basis of the CFT representation of the beta deformation of the model, a quantum spectral curve is introduced as << det (x- i g_s \partial ϕ(z)) >>=0 at finite N and for beta \neq 1. The planar loop equation in the large N limit follows with the aid of W_n constraints. Residue analysis is provided both for the curve of the matrix model with the…
Quiver quantum mechanics describes the low energy dynamics of a system of wrapped D-branes. It captures several aspects of single and multicentered BPS black hole geometries in four-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = 2$ supergravity such as the presence of bound states and an exponential growth of microstates. The Coulomb branch of an Abelian three node quiver is obtained by integrating out the massive strings connecting the D-particles. It allows for a scaling regime corresponding to a deep AdS$_2$ throat on the gravity side. In this scaling regime, the Coulomb branch is shown to be an $SL(2,\mathbb{…
This review describes the conformality approach to extending the standard model of particle phenomenology using an assumption of no conformal anomaly at high energy. Topics include quiver gauge theory, the conformality approach to phenomenology, strong-electroweak unification at 4 TeV, cancellation of quadratic divergences, cancellation of U(1) anomalies, and a dark matter candidate.
Recently Alday and Tachikawa proposed a relation between conformal blocks in a two-dimensional theory with affine sl(2) symmetry and instanton partition functions in four-dimensional conformal N=2 SU(2) quiver gauge theories in the presence of a certain surface operator. In this paper we extend this proposal to a relation between conformal blocks in theories with affine sl(N) symmetry and instanton partition functions in conformal N=2 SU(N) quiver gauge theories in the presence of a surface operator. We also discuss the extension to non-conformal N=2 SU(N) theories.
Many conformal quiver gauge theories admit nonconformal generalizations. These generalizations change the rank of some of the gauge groups in a consistent way, inducing a running in the gauge couplings. We find a group of discrete transformation that acts on a large class of these theories. These transformations form a central extension of the Heisenberg group, generalizing the Heisenberg group of the conformal case, when all gauge groups have the same rank. In the AdS/CFT correspondence the nonconformal quiver gauge theory is dual to supergravity backgrounds with both five-form and three-form…
We compute the light asymptotic limit of $A_{n-1}$ Toda conformal blocks by using the AGT correspondence. We show that for certain class of CFT blocks the corresponding Nekrasov partition functions in this limit are simplified drastically being represented as a sum of a restricted class of Young diagrams. In the particular case of $A_{2}$ Toda we also compute the corresponding conformal blocks using conventional CFT techniques finding a perfect agreement with the results obtained from the Nekrasov partition functions.
The phase space path integral Wess-Zumino-Witten $\to$ Toda reductions are formulated in a manifestly conformally invariant way. For this purpose, the method of Batalin, Fradkin, and Vilkovisky, adapted to conformal field theories, with chiral constraints, on compact two dimensional Riemannian manifolds, is used. It is shown that the zero modes of the Lagrange multipliers produce the Toda potential and the gradients produce the WZW anomaly. This anomaly is crucial for proving the Fradkin-Vilkovisky theorem concerning gauge invariance.
We give new formulations of the solutions of the field equations of the affine Toda and conformal affine Toda theories on a cylinder and two-dimensional Minkowski space-time. These solutions are parameterised in terms of initial data and the resulting covariant phase spaces are diffeomorphic to the Hamiltonian ones. We derive the fundamental Poisson brackets of the parameters of the solutions and give the general static solutions for the affine theory.
Invariance under non-linear ${\sf {\hat W}}_{\infty}$ algebra is shown for the two-boson Liouville type of model and its algebraic generalizations, the extended conformal Toda models. The realization of the corresponding generators in terms of two boson currents within KP hierarchy is presented.
Renormalization group flows of quiver gauge theories play a central role in determining the low-energy properties of string vacua. We demonstrate that useful predictions about the RG dynamics of a quiver gauge theory may be extracted from the global structure of its quiver diagram. For quiver theories of a certain type, we develop an efficient and practical method for determining which superpotential deformations generate a flow to an interacting conformal fixed point.
We use Hirota's method formulated as a recursive scheme to construct complete set of soliton solutions for the affine Toda field theory based on an arbitrary Lie algebra. Our solutions include a new class of solitons connected with two different type of degeneracies encountered in the Hirota's perturbation approach. We also derive an universal mass formula for all Hirota's solutions to the Affine Toda model valid for all underlying Lie groups. Embedding of the Affine Toda model in the Conformal Affine Toda model plays a crucial role in this analysis.
It is shown that the Affine Toda models (AT) constitute a ``gauge fixed'' version of the Conformal Affine Toda model (CAT). This result enables one to map every solution of the AT models into an infinite number of solutions of the corresponding CAT models, each one associated to a point of the orbit of the conformal group. The Hirota's $τ$-function are introduced and soliton solutions for the AT and CAT models associated to $\hat {SL}(r+1)$ and $\hat {SP}(r)$ are constructed.
This is the second part of the paper 0709.3806v2. Here we show that three-point correlation function with one semi-degenerate field in Toda field theory as well as four-point correlation function with one completely degenerate and one semi-degenerate field can be represented by the finite dimensional integrals.
The conformal affine sl(2) Toda model coupled to matter field is treated as a constrained system in the context of Faddeev-Jackiw and the (constrained) symplectic schemes. We recover from this theory either, the sine-Gordon or the massive Thirring model, through a process of Hamiltonian reduction, considering the equivalence of the Noether and topological currrents as a constraint and gauge fixing the conformal symmetry.
We consider the Hamiltonian reduction of the two-loop Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten model (WZNW) based on an untwisted affine Kac-Moody algebra $\cgh$. The resulting reduced models, called {\em Generalized Non-Abelian Conformal Affine Toda (G-CAT)}, are conformally invariant and a wide class of them possesses soliton solutions; these models constitute non-abelian generalizations of the Conformal Affine Toda models. Their general solution is constructed by the Leznov-Saveliev method. Moreover, the dressing transformations leading to the solutions in the orbit of the vacuum are considered in detail…
We study the interplay between mass deformations and unoriented projections of super-conformal quiver gauge theories resulting from D3-branes at (toric) Calabi-Yau singularities. We focus on simple orbifold cases ($\mathbb{C}^3/\mathbb{Z}_3$ and $\mathbb{C}^3/\mathbb{Z}_4$) and their non-orbifold descendants. This allows us to generalize the construction rules and clarify points that have been previously overlooked. In particular we spell out the conditions of anomaly cancellations as well as super-conformal invariance that typically require the introduction of flavour branes, which in turn ma…
In this paper we reformulate the dilaton-gravity theory of Callan \etal\ as a new effective conformal field theory which turns out to be a generalization of the so-called $SL_2$-conformal affine Toda (CAT) theory studied some times ago by Babelon and Bonora. We quantize this model, thus keeping in account the dilaton-gravity quantum effects. We then implement a Renormalization Group analysis to study the black hole thermodynamics and the final state of the Hawking evaporation.
We study 4d SCFTs obtained by orientifold projections on necklace quivers with fractional branes. The models obtained by this procedure are $\mathcal{N}=1$ linear quivers with unitary, symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups, bifundamental and tensorial matter. Remarkably, models that are not dual in the unoriented case can have the same central charges and superconformal index after the projection. The reason for this behavior rests upon the ubiquitous presence of adjoint fields with R-charge one. We claim that the presence of such fields is at the origin of the notion of inherited S-duality o…
The AdS/CFT correspondence between Sasaki-Einstein spaces and quiver gauge theories is studied from the perspective of massless BPS geodesics. The recently constructed toric Lpqr geometries are considered: we determine the dual superconformal quivers and the spectrum of BPS mesons. The conformal anomaly is compared with the volumes of the manifolds. The U(1)^2_F x U(1)_R global symmetry quantum numbers of the mesonic operators are successfully matched with the conserved momenta of the geodesics, providing a test of AdS/CFT duality. The correspondence between BPS mesons and geodesics allows to …
This paper investigates the relations between the Toda conformal field theories, quantum group theory and the quantisation of moduli spaces of flat connections. We use the free field representation of the $\mathcal{W}$-algebras to define natural bases for spaces of conformal blocks of the Toda conformal field theory associated to the Lie algebra ${\mathfrak s}{\mathfrak l}_3$ on the three-punctured sphere with representations of generic type associated to the three punctures. The operator-valued monodromies of degenerate fields can be used to describe the quantisation of the moduli spaces of f…
The properties of completely degenerate fields in the Conformal Toda Field Theory are studied. It is shown that a generic four-point correlation function that contains only one such field does not satisfy ordinary differential equation in contrast to the Liouville Field Theory. Some additional assumptions for other fields are required. Under these assumptions we write such a differential equation and solve it explicitly. We use the fusion properties of the operator algebra to derive a special set of three-point correlation function. The result agrees with the semiclassical calculations.
We construct a centerless W-infinity type of algebra in terms of a generator of a centerless Virasoro algebra and an abelian spin-1 current. This algebra conventionally emerges in the study of pseudo-differential operators on a circle or alternatively within KP hierarchy with Watanabe's bracket. Construction used here is based on a special deformation of the algebra $w_{\infty}$ of area preserving diffeomorphisms of a 2-manifold. We show that this deformation technique applies to the two-loop WZNW and conformal affine Toda models, establishing henceforth $W_{\infty}$ invariance of these models…
In this talk we report some results about the construction of soliton solutions for the Affine and Conformal Affine Toda models using the Hirota's method. We obtain new classes of solitons connected to the degeneracies of the Cartan matrix eigenvalues as well as to some particular features of the recursive scheme developed here. We obtain an universal mass formula for all those solitons. The examples of $SU(6)$ and $Sp(3)$ are discussed in some detail. ( Talk presented at the VII J.A. Swieca Summer School, Section: Particles and Fields, Campos do Jordão - Brasil - January/93)
The partition function of a family of four dimensional N=2 gauge theories has been recently related to correlation functions of two dimensional conformal Toda field theories. For SU(2) gauge theories, the associated two dimensional theory is A_1 conformal Toda field theory, i.e. Liouville theory. For this case the relation has been extended showing that the expectation value of gauge theory loop operators can be reproduced in Liouville theory inserting in the correlators the monodromy of chiral degenerate fields. In this paper we study Wilson loops in SU(N) gauge theories in the fundamental an…
Two-dimensional sl(n) quantum Toda field theory on a sphere is considered. This theory provides an important example of conformal field theory with higher spin symmetry. We derive the three-point correlation functions of the exponential fields if one of the three fields has a special form. In this case it is possible to write down and solve explicitly the differential equation for the four-point correlation function if the fourth field is completely degenerate. We give also expressions for the three-point correlation functions in the cases, when they can be expressed in terms of known function…
We present new supersymmetric extensions of Conformal Toda and $A^{(1)}_N$ Affine Toda field theories. These new theories are constructed using methods similar to those that have been developed to find supersymmetric extensions of two-dimensional bosonic sigma models with a scalar potential. In particular, we show that the Conformal Toda field theory admits a (1,1)-supersymmetric extension, and the $A^{(1)}_N$ Affine Toda field admits a (1,0)-supersymmetric extension.
Recent work has established a uniform characterization of most 6D SCFTs in terms of generalized quivers with conformal matter. Compactification of the partial tensor branch deformation of these theories on a $T^2$ leads to 4D $\mathcal{N} = 2$ SCFTs which are also generalized quivers. Taking products of bifundamental conformal matter operators, we present evidence that there are large R-charge sectors of the theory in which operator mixing is captured by a 1D spin chain Hamiltonian with operator scaling dimensions controlled by a perturbation series in inverse powers of the R-charge. We regula…
Systems of D3-branes at orientifold singularities can receive non-perturbative D-brane instanton corrections, inducing field theory operators in the 4d effective theory. In certain non-chiral examples, these systems have been realized as the infrared endpoint of a Seiberg duality cascade, in which the D-brane instanton effects arise from strong gauge theory dynamics. We present the first UV duality cascade completion of chiral D3-brane theories, in which the D-brane instantons arise from gauge theory dynamics. Chiral examples are interesting because the instanton fermion zero mode sector is to…
We consider Quantum Toda theory associated to a general Lie algebra. We prove that the conserved quantities in both conformal and affine Toda theories exhibit duality interchanging the Dynkin diagram and its dual, and inverting the coupling constant. As an example we discuss the conformal Toda theories based on $B_2,B_3$ and $G_2$ and the related affine theories.
In this paper we interpret the hidden symmetry of the moduli space of IIB superstring on $AdS_{5}\times S^{5}$ in terms of the chiral embedding in $AdS_{5}$, which turns to be the $\mathbb{CP}^{3}$ conformal affine Toda model. We review how the position $μ$ of poles in the Riemann-Hilbert formulation of dressing transformation and how the value of loop parameters $μ$ in the vertex operator of affine algebra determines the moduli space of the soliton solutions, which describes the moduli space of the Green-Schwarz superstring. We show also how this affine SU(4) symmetry affinize the conformal s…
We explore the connections between three classes of theories: A_r quiver matrix models, d=2 conformal A_r Toda field theories and d=4 N=2 supersymmetric conformal A_r quiver gauge theories. In particular, we analyse the quiver matrix models recently introduced by Dijkgraaf and Vafa and make detailed comparisons with the corresponding quantities in the Toda field theories and the N=2 quiver gauge theories. We also make a speculative proposal for how the matrix models should be modified in order for them to reproduce the instanton partition functions in quiver gauge theories in five dimensions.
We investigate sl(n) conformal Toda theory with maximally symmetric boundaries. There are two types of maximally symmetric boundary conditions, due to the existence of an order two automorphism of the W(n>2) algebra. In one of the two cases, we find that there exist D-branes of all possible dimensions 0 =< d =< n-1, which correspond to partly degenerate representations of the W(n) algebra. We perform classical and conformal bootstrap analyses of such D-branes, and relate these two approaches by using the semi-classical light asymptotic limit. In particular we determine the bulk one-point funct…
One of the hallmarks of 6D superconformal field theories (SCFTs) is that on a partial tensor branch, all known theories resemble quiver gauge theories with links comprised of 6D conformal matter, a generalization of weakly coupled hypermultiplets. In this paper we construct 4D quiverlike gauge theories in which the links are obtained from compactifications of 6D conformal matter on Riemann surfaces with flavor symmetry fluxes. This includes generalizations of super QCD with exceptional gauge groups and quarks replaced by 4D conformal matter. Just as in super QCD, we find evidence for a conform…
We study various duality webs involving the 3d FT[SU(N)] theory, a close relative of the T[SU(N)] quiver tail. We first map the partition functions of FT[SU(N)] and its 3d spectral dual to a pair of spectral dual q-Toda conformal blocks. Then we show how to obtain the FT[SU(N)] partition function by Higgsing a 5d linear quiver gauge theory, or equivalently from the refined topological string partition function on a certain toric Calabi-Yau three-fold. 3d spectral duality in this context descends from 5d spectral duality. Finally we discuss the 2d reduction of the 3d spectral dual pair and stud…
We construct an $ε$-deformation of W algebras, corresponding to the additive version of quiver $\text{W}_{q,t^{-1}}$ algebras which feature prominently in the 5d version of the BPS/CFT correspondence and refined topological strings on toric Calabi-Yau's. This new type of algebras fill in the missing intermediate level between $q$-deformed and ordinary W algebras. We show that $ε$-deformed W algebras are spectral duals of conventional W algebras, in particular the $ε$-deformed conformal blocks manifestly reproduce instanton partition functions of 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ quiver gauge theories in the …
In this paper we investigate in more detail our previous formulation of the dilaton-gravity theory by Bilal--Callan--de~Alwis as a $SL_2$-conformal affine Toda (CAT) theory. Our main results are: i) a field redefinition of the CAT-basis in terms of which it is possible to get the black hole solutions already known in the literature; ii) an investigation the scattering matrix problem for the quantum black hole states. It turns out that there is a range of values of the $N$ free-falling shock matter fields forming the black hole solution, in which the end-point state of the black hole evaporatio…
We discuss unoriented quivers with flavour that arise from D3-branes at local orbifold singularities, in the presence of Omega-planes and non-compact D7-branes. We produce a wide class of unoriented quiver gauge theories, including new instances of N=1 superconformal theories. We then consider unoriented D-brane instanton corrections of both `gauge' and `exotic' kinds. In particular, we show that conformal symmetry can be dynamically broken via the generation of exotic superpotentials. Finally we discuss aspects of the recently proposed N=1 remnant of N=4 S-duality. We identify new candidate d…
We derive an explicit, exactly conformally invariant form for the action for the non-abelian Toda field theory. We demonstrate that the conformal invariance conditions, expressed in terms of the $β$-functions of the theory, are satisfied to all orders, and we use our results to obtain a value for the central charge agreeing with previous calculations.
Some properties of the higher grading integrable generalizations of the conformal affine Toda systems are studied. The fields associated to the non-zero grade generators are Dirac spinors. The effective action is written in terms of the Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten (WZNW) action associated to an affine Lie algebra, and an off-critical theory is obtained as the result of the spontaneous breakdown of the conformal symmetry. Moreover, the off-critical theory presents a remarkable equivalence between the Noether and topological currents of the model. Related to the off-critical model we define a rea…
We determine 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs originating from 6d $(E_n,E_m)$ conformal matter theories with $n\neq m$ by circle reduction and mass deformations. The marginal geometries are constructed and we derive their combined fiber diagrams (CFDs). The CFDs allow for an enumeration of descendant SCFTs obtained by decoupling matter hypermultiplets and a description of candidate weakly coupled quivers.
Exact results are derived for 5d SCFTs with holographic duals in Type IIB supergravity. These theories have relevant deformations that flow to linear quiver gauge theories, with the number of nodes large in the large-$N$ limits described by supergravity. Starting from a suitable formulation of the matrix models resulting from supersymmetric localization of the squashed $S^5$ partition functions, the saddle point equations are solved for generic quivers with $N_f=2N$ at all interior nodes, which includes the $T_N$ theories, and for a sample of theories with $N_f\neq 2N$ nodes including theories…
There has been some debate about the validity of quantum affine Toda field theory at imaginary coupling, owing to the non-unitarity of the action, and consequently of its usefulness as a model of perturbed conformal field theory. Drawing on our recent work, we investigate the two simplest affine Toda theories for which this is an issue - a2(1) and a2(2). By investigating the S-matrices of these theories before RSOS restriction, we show that quantum Toda theory, (with or without RSOS restriction), indeed has some fundamental problems, but that these problems are of two different sorts. For a2(1…
