Related papers: 1-form symmetry versus large N QCD
We explore the necessary conditions for 1-form symmetries to emerge in the long-distance limit when they are explicitly broken at short distances. A minimal requirement is that there exist operators which become topological at long…
Recently there have been proposals to understand features of QCD such as confinement and chiral symmetry breaking by considering supersymmetric versions of the theory with various patterns of soft breaking. In this note we recall that with…
We review arguments that supersymmetric QCD with $N$ colors and $N_f \ge 0$ massive quarks confines. We explain that this remains the case for small soft breakings and small supersymmetric masses for any quarks. These results continue to…
Large-N QCD with heavy adjoint fermions emulates pure Yang-Mills theory at long distances. We study this theory on a four- and three-torus, and analytically argue the existence of a large-small volume equivalence. For any finite mass,…
This paper explores the conjecture that large Nc gauge theories have a Hagedorn spectrum, if, and only if, they are confining and posses an explicit or emergent center symmetry. Evidence in support of this conjecture is presented. Many…
Two crucial properties of QCD, confinement and chiral symmetry breaking, cannot be understood within the context of conventional Feynman perturbation theory. Non-perturbative phenomena enter the theory in a fundamental way at both the…
We demonstrate that QED exhibits a previously unobserved symmetry. Some consequences are discussed.
The formulation of QCD which contains no divergences and no renormalization procedure is presented. It contains both perturbative and non-perturbative phenomena. It is shown that, due to its asymptotically free nature, the theory is not…
We summarize basic features of quantum field theories with discrete symmetry $\mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}$ (possibly higher form, global or gauged). The classification of representations and anomalies is quite rich and involves the ring of…
A general discussion is presented of the possible symmetries responsible for confinement of color and of their evidence in lattice simulations. The consequences on the phase diagram of $QCD$ are also analyzed.
We study 3d and 4d systems with a one-form global symmetry, explore their consequences, and analyze their gauging. For simplicity, we focus on $\mathbb{Z}_N$ one-form symmetries. A 3d topological quantum field theory (TQFT) $\mathcal{T}$…
Consequences of large $N$ volume independence are examined in conformal and confining gauge theories. In the large $N$ limit, gauge theories compactified on $\R^{d-k} \times (S^1)^k$ are independent of the $S^1$ radii, provided the theory…
We show the equivalence of a previously derived exact expression for the response of a non-relativistic system with harmonic forces and an infinite sum of weighted $\delta$-functions corresponding to the spectrum. We forward arguments,…
Casher's argument, which is believed to be quite general, states that in the confining regime chiral symmetry is necessarily broken. In the large-N_c limit and at moderate and low temperatures QCD is confining up to arbitrary large…
We review physical scenarios in different vacua of N=2 supersymmetric QCD deformed by the mass term \mu for the adjoint matter. This deformation breaks supersymmetry down to N=1 and, at large \mu, the theory flows to N=1 SQCD. We focus on…
Recent discoveries in supersymmetric gauge theories have significant implications for our understanding for QCD and of field theory in general. The phases of N=1 supersymmetric QCD (SQCD) are discussed, and the possibility of similar phases…
Large-N volume independence in circle-compactified QCD with N_f \geq 1 adjoint Weyl fermions implies the absence of any phase transitions as the radius is dialed to arbitrarily small values. This class of theories are believed to possess a…
We review and extend our recent work on the planar (large N) equivalence between gauge theories with varying degree of supersymmetry. The main emphasis is made on the planar equivalence between N=1 gluodynamics (super-Yang-Mills theory) and…
It has been argued that the bosonic sectors of supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills theory, and of QCD with a single fermion in the antisymmetric (or symmetric) tensor representation, are equivalent in the $N\to\infty$ limit. If true, this…
In the physical vacuum of QCD, the energy density of light-quark fields strongly coupled to slowly varying gluon fields can be negative, and so a condensate of pairs of quarks and antiquarks of nearly opposite momenta forms which breaks…