We show that exactly marginal operators of Supersymmetric Conformal Field Theories (SCFTs) with four supercharges cannot obtain a vacuum expectation value at a generic point on the conformal manifold. Exactly marginal operators are therefore nilpotent in the chiral ring. This allows us to associate an integer to the conformal manifold, which we call the nilpotency index of the conformal manifold. We discuss several examples in diverse dimensions where we demonstrate these facts and compute the nilpotency index.
C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics, Stony Brook University（石溪大学杨振宁理论物理研究所）；Dipartimento SMFI, Università di Parma（帕尔马大学SMFI系）；INFN Gruppo Collegato di Parma（帕尔马联合INFN小组）
The method of calculation of $\varepsilon$-expansion in model of scalar field with $φ^3$-interaction based on conformal bootstrap equations is proposed. This technique is based on self-consistent skeleton equations involving full propagator and full triple vertex. Analytical computations of the Fisher's index $η$ are performed in four-loop approximation. The three-loop result coincides with one obtained previously by the renormalization group equations technique based on calculation of a larger number of Feynman diagrams. The four-loop result agrees with its numerical value obtained by other a…
The conformal index counts the number of exactly marginal deformations. In 4d the index is given by the number of chiral primary operators of dimension 3 moded out by the complexified global group, where the quotient is defined as usual by imposing a D-term. Here we show its consistency with the Leigh-Strassler method for weakly coupled theories, and we test it against known examples. In several examples this method discovers extra exactly marginal deformations beyond those of Leigh-Strassler. [This is an unpublished paper dated 3.3.03.]
Supersymmetric partition function of $\mathcal N=1$ superconformal theories on $S^1_β \times S^3$ is related to the superconformal index receiving contributions from short representations. The leading coefficients in the small $β$ (high "temperature") expansion of the index were previously related to the conformal anomaly coefficients of the theory. Assumptions underlying universality of these relations were tested only for simplest low-spin unitary multiplets. Here we consider examples of higher derivative non-unitary $\mathcal N=1$ multiplets that naturally appear in the context of extended …
The tensors which may be defined on the conformal manifold for six dimensional CFTs with exactly marginal operators are analysed by considering the response to a Weyl rescaling of the metric in the presence of local couplings. It is shown that there are three symmetric two index tensors only one of which satisfies any positivity conditions. The general results are specialised to the six dimensional conformal theory defined by free two-forms and also to the interacting scalar $ϕ^3$ theory at two loops which preserves conformal invariance to this order. All three two index tensor contributions a…
Via large and small $N_c$ relations we derive nonperturbative results about the conformal window of two-index theories. Using Schwinger-Dyson methods as well as four-loops results we estimate subleading corrections and show that naive large number of colors extrapolations are unreliable when $N_c$ is less than about six. Nevertheless useful nonperturbative inequalities for the size of the conformal windows, for any number of colors, can be derived. By further observing that the adjoint conformal window is independent of the number of colors we argue, among other things, that: The large $N_c$ t…
We present a trace formula for an index over the spectrum of four dimensional superconformal field theories on $S^3 \times $ time. Our index receives contributions from states invariant under at least one supercharge and captures all information -- that may be obtained purely from group theory -- about protected short representations in 4 dimensional superconformal field theories. In the case of the $\mathcal{N}=4$ theory our index is a function of four continuous variables. We compute it at weak coupling using gauge theory and at strong coupling by summing over the spectrum of free massless p…
We evaluate the topologically twisted index of a general four-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = 1$ gauge theory in the "high-temperature" limit. The index is the partition function for $\mathcal{N} = 1$ theories on $S^2 \times T^2$, with a partial topological twist along $S^2$, in the presence of background magnetic fluxes and fugacities for the global symmetries. We show that the logarithm of the index is proportional to the conformal anomaly coefficient of the two-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = (0,2)$ SCFTs obtained from the compactification on $S^2$. We also present a universal formula for extracting …
The Aratyn-Ferreira-Zimerman (AFZ) model is a conformal field theory in three-dimensional space. It has solutions that are topological solitons classified by an integer-valued Hopf index. There exist infinitely many axial solutions which have been found analytically. Axial, knot and linked solitons are found numerically to be static solutions using a modified volume preserving flow for Hopf index one to eight, allowing for comparison with other Hopf soliton models. Solutions include a static trefoil knot at Hopf index five. A one-parameter family of conformal Skyrme-Faddeev (CSF) models, consi…
We develop the embedding formalism for conformal field theories, aimed at doing computations with symmetric traceless operators of arbitrary spin. We use an index-free notation where tensors are encoded by polynomials in auxiliary polarization vectors. The efficiency of the formalism is demonstrated by computing the tensor structures allowed in n-point conformal correlation functions of tensors operators. Constraints due to tensor conservation also take a simple form in this formalism. Finally, we obtain a perfect match between the number of independent tensor structures of conformal correlato…
We show how to compute conformal blocks of operators in arbitrary Lorentz representations using the formalism described in arXiv:1905.00036 and arXiv:1905.00434, and present several explicit examples of blocks derived via this method. The procedure for obtaining the blocks has been reduced to (1) determining the relevant group theoretic structures and (2) applying appropriate predetermined substitution rules. The most transparent expressions for the blocks we find are expressed in terms of specific substitutions on the Gegenbauer polynomials. In our examples, we study operators which transform…
Certain duality of relative entropy can fail for chiral conformal net with nontrivial representations. In this paper we quantify such statement by defining a quantity which measures the failure of such duality, and identify this quantity with relative entropy and global index associated with multi-interval subfactors for a large class of conformal nets. In particular we show that the duality holds for a large class of conformal nets if and only if they are holomorphic. The same argument also applies to CFT in two dimensions. In particular we show that the duality holds for a large class of CFT…
Let A be a local conformal net of factors on the circle with the split property. We provide a topological construction of soliton representations of the tensor product of n copies of A, that restrict to true representations of subnet inviant under cyclic permutations (cyclic orbifold). We prove a quantum index theorem for our sectors relating the Jones index to a topological degree. Then A is not completely rational iff the the cyclic orbifold has an irreducible representation with infinite index. This implies the following dichotomy: if all irreducible sectors of A have a conjugate sector the…
We describe the structure of the inclusions of factors A(E) contained in A(E')' associated with multi-intervals E of R for a local irreducible net A of von Neumann algebras on the real line satisfying the split property and Haag duality. In particular, if the net is conformal and the subfactor has finite index, the inclusion associated with two separated intervals is isomorphic to the Longo-Rehren inclusion, which provides a quantum double construction of the tensor category of superselection sectors of A. As a consequence, the index of A(E) in A(E')' coincides with the global index associated…
We generalize the embedding formalism for conformal field theories to the case of general operators with mixed symmetry. The index-free notation encoding symmetric tensors as polynomials in an auxiliary polarization vector is extended to mixed-symmetry tensors by introducing a new commuting or anticommuting polarization vector for each row or column in the Young diagram that describes the index symmetries of the tensor. We determine the tensor structures that are allowed in n-point conformal correlation functions and give an algorithm for counting them in terms of tensor product coefficients. …
Nonminimally coupled inflation models based on a nonminimal coupling $ξϕ^{2} R$ and a $ϕ^{4}$ potential are in excellent agreement with the scalar spectral index observed by Planck. Here we consider the modification of these models by a conformal factor with a zero. This enables a nonminimally coupled model to have a Planck-scale potential energy density at large values of the inflaton field, which can account for the smooth, potential-dominated volume that is necessary for inflation to start. We show that models with a conformal factor zero generally predict a correlated increase of the spect…
We construct a five-parameter family of gauge-nonequivalent SU(2) instantons on a noncommutative four sphere $S_θ^4$ and of topological charge equal to -1. These instantons are critical points of a gauge functional and satisfy self-duality equations with respect to a Hodge star operator on forms on $S_θ^4$. They are obtained by acting with a twisted conformal symmetry on a basic instanton canonically associated with a noncommutative instanton bundle on the sphere. A completeness argument for this family is obtained by means of index theorems. The dimension of the ``tangent space'' to the modul…
