Related papers: Semilocal Topological Defects
A novel U(1) topological gauge field theory for topological defects in liquid crystals is constructed by considering the U(1) gauge field is invariant under the director inversion. Via the U(1) gauge potential decomposition theory and the…
We investigate the global structure of topological defects which wrap a submanifold $F\subset M$ in a quantum field theory defined on a closed manifold $M$. The Pontryagin-Thom construction oversees the interplay between the global…
Topological semimetals are a class of novel three-dimensional (3D) electronic phases that feature topologically protected conical band-touchings at the Fermi level. These band-touching points are monopoles of Berry curvature in momentum…
Ordered phases resulting from spontaneously broken continuous symmetries are effectively described by sigma models of maps to the coset space of Goldstone modes. A classic problem is to classify the topological sectors of the sigma model.…
Global topological defects may account for the large cold spot observed in the Cosmic Microwave Background. We explore possibilities of constructing models of supersymmetric F-term hybrid inflation, where the waterfall fields are globally…
We consider M-theory on compact spaces of G_2 holonomy constructed as orbifolds of the form (CY x S^1)/Z_2 with fixed point set \Sigma on the CY. This describes N=1 SU(2) gauge theories with b_1(\Sigma) chiral multiplets in the adjoint. For…
A rich pattern of gauge symmetries is found in the moduli space of heterotic string toroidal compactifications, at fixed points of the T-duality transformations. We analyze this pattern for generic tori, and scrutinize in full detail…
In this article, we discuss the semicontinuity problem of certain properties on fibers for a morphism of schemes. One aspect of this problem is local. Namely, we consider properties of schemes at the level of local rings, in which the main…
We systematically analyze the decay of metastable topological defects that arise from the spontaneous breakdown of gauge or global symmetries. Quantum-mechanical tunneling rates are estimated for a variety of decay processes. The decay rate…
Monodromy defects describe a dynamical termination of topological symmetry operators, and are sourced by a localized background magnetic flux. We study their properties in gapped SPT phases and, by inflow, in gapless theories with an…
Topological semimetals in three dimensions display band-touchings at points (Weyl or Dirac semimetals) or nodal lines in the Brillouin zone. Weyl semimetals can occur with internal symmetries only (time-reversal ${\cal T}$, charge…
A consistent theory of supersymmetry breaking must have a hidden sector, an observable sector, and must be embedded in a locally supersymmetric theory which arises from string theory. For phenomenological reasons it must also transmit…
Coleman's theorem states that continuous internal symmetries cannot be spontaneously broken in two-dimensional quantum field theories (QFTs). In this work we consider surface (i.e. two-dimensional) defects in $d$-dimensional conformal field…
It might be expected that only global symmetries are fundamental symmetries of Nature, whereas local symmetries and associated massless gauge fields could solely emerge due to spontaneous breaking of underlying spacetime symmetries…
Let M be the cotangent bundle of S^2, with the standard symplectic structure. By adapting an argument of Gromov we determine the weak homotopy type of the group S of those symplectic automorphisms of M which are trivial at infinity. It…
We present a toy model for the investigation of the formation of semilocal strings, where a planar symmetry is employed to reduce the system to two dimensions. We approximate the symmetry breaking using an extension of the…
We investigate the properties of localized anomalous U(1)'s in heterotic string theory on the orbifold T^6/Z_3. We argue that the local four dimensional and original ten dimensional Green-Schwarz mechanisms can be implemented…
We use perturbation theory to construct perfect lattice actions for fermions and gauge fields by blocking directly from the continuum. When one uses a renormalization group transformation that preserves chiral symmetry the resulting lattice…
A relativistic theory for neutrino superluminality is presented (in principle, the same mechanism applies also to other fermions). The theory involves the standard-model particles and one additional heavy sterile neutrino with an…
Gauge theories in the presence of codimension two vortex defects are known to be related to the theories on orbifolds. By using this relation we study the localized path integrals of 2D N=(2,2) SUSY gauge theories with point-like vortex…