Related papers: Higgsing towards E-strings
We discuss the possible applications of string theory for the construction of generalizations of the $SU(3)\times SU(2)\times U(1)$ standard model of strong and electroweak interactions. This includes an investigation of effective $d=4$…
We construct heterotic string theories on spacetimes of the form R^{d-1,1} times N=2 linear dilaton, where d=6,4,2,0. There are two lines of supersymmetric theories descending from the two supersymmetric ten-dimensional heterotic theories.…
We study the four-dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories that describe D3-branes probing the recently constructed N=2 S-folds in F-theory. We introduce a novel, infinite class of superconformal field theories related to S-fold…
In this lecture we give an elementary introduction to the natural realization of non-perturbative N=2 quantum field theories as a low energy limit of classical string theory. We review a systematic construction of six, five, and four…
We consider N=2 superconformal theories defined on a 3+1 dimensional hyperplane intersection of two sets of M5 branes. These theories have (tensionless) BPS string solitons. We use a dual supergravity formulation to deduce some of their…
We study the unitary supermultiplets of the N=8, d=5 anti-de Sitter (AdS) superalgebra SU(2,2|4) which is the symmetry algebra of the IIB string theory on AdS_5 X S^5. We give a complete classification of the doubleton supermultiplets of…
Some gauge theories with Coulomb branches exhibit singularities in perturbation theory, which are usually resolved by nonperturbative physics. In string theory this corresponds to the resolution of timelike singularities near the core of…
We find an infinite family of $4D$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ interacting superconformal field theories which enter the description of the strong-coupling limit of $SU(2N+1)$ gauge theories with hypermultiplets in the…
We study $2d$ QCD coupled to fermions in the adjoint representation of the gauge group $SU(N)$ at large $N$, and its relation to string theory. It is shown that the model undergoes a deconfinement transition at a finite temperature…
The loop representation of quantum gravity has many formal resemblances to a background-free string theory. In fact, its origins lie in attempts to treat the string theory of hadrons as an approximation to QCD, in which the strings…
We exhibit exact conformal field theory descriptions of SO(N) and Sp(N) pairs of Seiberg-dual gauge theories within string theory. The N=1 gauge theories with flavour are realized as low energy limits of the worldvolume theories on D-branes…
In this informal review for non-specalists we discuss the construction of maximally supersymmetric gauge theories that arise on the worldvolumes branes in String Theory and M-Theory. Particular focus is made on the relatively recent…
In theories with extended supersymmetry the protected observables of UV superconformal fixed points are found in a number of contexts to be encoded in the BPS solitons along an IR Coulomb-like phase. For six-dimensional SCFTs such a role is…
We propose brane web configurations for $D$-type and $E$-type $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ little string theories based on a trivalent or quadrivalent gluing of 5-brane web diagrams. Tri-/quadri-valent gluing is a powerful way of computing 5d/6d…
We identify the 4D field theories living on the world volume of D4 branes in non-supersymmetric type IIA string theory constructions. They are softly broken N=2 SQCD with the breakings introduced through vevs of the auxilliary fields in the…
We study the Higgs branches of the superconformal points of four-dimensional N=2 super Yang-Mills (SYM) which appear due to the occurrence of mutually local monopoles having appropriate charges. We show, for example, that the maximal…
N=2 heterotic strings may provide a window into the physics of M-theory radically different than that found via the other supersymmetric string theories. In addition to their supersymmetric structure, these strings carry a four-dimensional…
Input from QCD and string theory is used in order to elucidate basic features of the string theory dual of QCD, It is argued that the relevant string theory is a five-dimensional version of the type-0 superstring. The vacuum solution is…
Four-dimensional supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills theory on a sphere has highly charged baryon-like states built from anti-symmetric combinations of the adjoint scalars. We show that these states, which are equivalently described as holes in…
We study five-dimensional minimally supersymmetric gauge theory compactified on a torus down to three dimensions, and its embedding into string/M-theory using geometric engineering. The moduli space on the Coulomb branch is hyperkaehler…