Related papers: Deconstructing Little Strings with $\mathcal{N}=1$…
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,…
Using supersymmetric localization, we consider four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal quiver gauge theories obtained from $\mathbb{Z}_n$ orbifolds of $\mathcal{N}=4$ Super Yang-Mills theory in the large $N$ limit at weak coupling.…
We compute the perturbative partition functions for gauge theories with eight supersymmetries on spheres of dimension $d\le5$, proving a conjecture by the second author. We apply similar methods to gauge theories with four supersymmetries…
We present a string theory that reproduces the large-$N$ expansion of two dimensional Yang-Mills gauge theory on arbitrary surfaces. First, a new class of topological sigma models is introduced, with path integrals localized to the moduli…
We present a relation between N=2 quiver gauge theories on the ALE space O_{P^1}(-2) and correlators of N=1 super Liouville conformal field theory, providing checks in the case of punctured spheres and tori. We derive a blow-up formula for…
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…
We compute the ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric partition function of a gauge theory on a four-dimensional compact toric manifold via equivariant localization. The result is given by a piecewise constant function of the K\"ahler form with jumps…
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…
We consider M-theory in the presence of M parallel M5-branes probing a transverse A_{N-1} singularity. This leads to a superconformal theory with (1,0) supersymmetry in six dimensions. We compute the supersymmetric partition function of…
Important illustration to the principle ``partition functions in string theory are $\tau$-functions of integrable equations'' is the fact that the (dual) partition functions of $4d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories solve Painlev\'e equations.…
We compute the Nekrasov partition function of gauge theories on the (resolved) toric singularities C^2/\Gamma in terms of blow-up formulae. We discuss the expansion of the partition function in the \epsilon_1,\epsilon_2 \to 0 limit along…
We compute the partition functions of $\mathcal{N} = 1$ gauge theories on $S^2 \times \mathbb{R}^2_\varepsilon$ using supersymmetric localization. The path integral reduces to a sum over vortices at the poles of $S^2$ and at the origin of…
We study the topological string partition function of a class of toric, double elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds $X_{N,M}$ at a generic point in the K\"ahler moduli space. These manifolds engineer little string theories in five…
We compute the partition function of the supersymmetric two-dimensional Euclidean black hole geometry described by the SL(2,R)/U(1) superconformal field theory. We decompose the result in terms of characters of the N=2 superconformal…
It is known that the large N expansion of the partition function in ABJM theory on a three-sphere is completely determined by the topological string on local Hirzebruch surface F_0. In this note, we investigate the ABJM partition function…
$A$-type Little String Theories (LSTs) are engineered from parallel M5-branes on a circle $\mathbb{S}_\perp^1$, probing a transverse $\mathbb{R}^4/\mathbb{Z}_M$ background. Below the scale of the radius of $\mathbb{S}_\perp^1$, these…
We construct an $\epsilon$-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…
We discuss the properties of quarter-BPS local operators in four dimensional ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory using the formalism of holomorphic twists. We study loop corrections both to the space of local operators and to…
We present new evidence for the conjecture that BPS correlation functions in the N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories are described by an auxiliary two dimensional conformal field theory. We study deformations of the N=2 supersymmetric gauge…
The noncommutative space $\mathbb{R}^3_\lambda$, a deformation of $\mathbb{R}^3$, supports a $3$-parameter family of gauge theory models with gauge-invariant harmonic term, stable vacuum and which are perturbatively finite to all orders.…