Related papers: Dual Little Strings and their Partition Functions
We study a class of ${\cal N}=(1,0)$ little string theories obtained from orbifolds of M-brane configurations. These are realised in two different ways that are dual to each other: either as $M$ parallel M5-branes probing a transverse…
The web of dual gauge theories engineered from a class of toric Calabi-Yau threefolds is explored. In previous work, we have argued for a triality structure by compiling evidence for the fact that every such manifold $X_{N,M}$ (for given…
A particular two-parameter class of little string theories can be described by $M$ parallel M5-branes probing a transverse affine $A_{N-1}$ singularity. We previously discussed the duality between the theories labelled by $(N,M)$ and…
In this paper we study certain degenerations of the mirror curves, associated with Calabi-Yau threefolds $X_{N,M}$, and the effect of these degenerations on the topological string partition function of $X_{N,M}$. We show that when the…
We study mass-deformed N=2 gauge theories from various points of view. Their partition functions can be computed via three dual approaches: firstly, (p,q)-brane webs in type II string theory using Nekrasov's instanton calculus, secondly,…
We propose expressions for refined open topological string partition function on certain non-compact Calabi Yau 3-folds with topological branes wrapped on the special lagrangian submanifolds. The corresponding web diagrams are partially…
In this paper we show that the polynomial structure of the topological string partition function found by Yamaguchi and Yau for the quintic holds for an arbitrary Calabi-Yau manifold with any number of moduli. Furthermore, we generalize…
We apply the modular approach to computing the topological string partition function on non-compact elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau 3-folds with higher Kodaira singularities in the fiber. The approach consists in making an ansatz for the…
We consider M-theory compactification on Calabi-Yau threefolds. The recently discovered connection between the BPS states of wrapped M2 branes and the topological string amplitudes on the threefold is used both as a tool to compute…
We study the Type IIA NS five-brane wrapped on a Calabi-Yau manifold X in a double-scaled decoupling limit. We calculate the euclidean partition function in the presence of a flat RR 3-form field. The classical contribution is given by a…
We consider BPS-counting functions $\mathcal{Z}_{N,M}$ of $N$ parallel M5-branes probing a transverse $\mathbb{Z}_M$ orbifold geometry. These brane web configurations can be dualised into a class of toric non-compact Calabi-Yau threefolds…
We study geometric transitions for topological strings on compact Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces in toric varieties. Large N duality predicts an equivalence between topological open and closed string theories connected by an extremal transition.…
Tests of duality between heterotic strings on $K3\times T^2$ (restricted on certain Narain moduli subspaces) and type IIA strings on K3-fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds are attempted in the weak coupling regime on the heterotic side by…
The partition function of type IIA and B strings on R^6xK3, in the T^4/Z_2 orbifold limit, is explicitly computed as a modular invariant sum over spin strutures required by perturbative unitarity in order to extend the analysis to include…
The method of topological vertex for topological string theory on toric Calabi-Yau 3-folds is reviewed. Implications of an explicit formula of partition functions in the "on-strip" case, typically the generalized conifolds, are considered.…
The topological string partition function Z=exp(lambda^{2g-2} F_g) is calculated on a compact Calabi-Yau M. The F_g fulfill the holomorphic anomaly equations, which imply that Z transforms as a wave function on the symplectic space…
The evidence for string/string-duality can be extended from the matching of the vector couplings to gravitational couplings. In this note this is shown in the rank three example, the closest stringy analog of the Seiberg/Witten-setup, which…
We revisit partition functions of closed strings on toroidal backgrounds, including their $\mathbb{Z}_N$ shift orbifolds in the formalism where the dimension of the target space is doubled to make T-duality manifest. In such a T-duality…
An overview is given of the construction of a differential polynomial ring of functions on the moduli space of Calabi-Yau threefolds. These rings coincide with the rings of quasi modular forms for geometries with duality groups for which…
We embed the large N Chern-Simons/topological string duality in ordinary superstrings. This corresponds to a large $N$ duality between generalized gauge systems with N=1 supersymmetry in 4 dimensions and superstrings propagating on…