Related papers: An N=2 Dual Pair and a Phase Transition

We define smoothed Wilson loop operators on a four dimensional lattice and check numerically that they have a finite and nontrivial continuum limit. The continuum operators maintain their character as unitary matrices and undergo a phase…

We consider a class of four parameter D=4, N=2 string models, namely heterotic strings compactified on K3 times T2 together with their dual type II partners on Calabi-Yau three-folds. With the help of generalized modular forms (such as…

We test the recently conjectured duality between $N=2$ supersymmetric type II and heterotic string models by analysing a class of higher dimensional interactions in the respective low-energy Lagrangians. These are $F$-terms of the form $F_g…

We argue that two four-dimensional strongly coupled superconformal field theories, on the Higgs branch in certain large N limits, become respectively (2,0) theory and (1,1) little string theory in six dimensions. We identify the spectrum of…

We study a class of extremal transitions between topological distinct Calabi--Yau manifolds which have an interpretation in terms of the special massless states of a type II string compactification. In those cases where a dual heterotic…

The string theory in the Penrose limit of AdS_2 x S^2 is investigated. The specific Penrose limit is the background known as the Nappi-Witten spacetime, which is a plane-wave background with an axion field. The string theory on it is given…

In a recent paper, Polchinski and Strassler found a string theory dual of a gauge theory with reduced supersymmetry. Motivated by their approach, we perturb the $\N=8$ theory living on a set of N M2 branes to $\N=2$, by adding fermion mass…

We show that the $c=1$ bosonic string theory at finite temperature has two matrix-model realizations related by a kind of duality transformation. The first realization is the standard one given by the compactified matrix quantum mechanics…

We investigate two models in non-commutative (NC) field theory by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Even if we start from the Euclidean lattice formulation, such simulations are only feasible after mapping the systems onto dimensionally…

From general arguments, that are valid for spin models with sufficiently short-range interactions, we derive strong constraints on the excitation spectrum across a continuous phase transition at zero temperature between a magnetic and a…

We review two-dimensional QCD. The report contains: 1. Introduction. 2. QCD$_2$ as a field theory 2.1 The 1/N expansion and spectrum, 2.2 Ambiguity in the self-energy of the quark, 2.3 Polyakov--Wiegmann formula and gauge interactions, 2.4…

Berenstein, Maldacena, and Nastase have proposed, as a limit of the strong form of the AdS/CFT correspondence, that string theory in a particular plane wave background is dual to a certain subset of operators in the N=4 super-Yang-Mills…

The heterotic string theory, compactified to four dimensions, has been conjectured to have a duality symmetry (S duality) that transforms the dilaton nonlinearly. If valid, this symmetry could provide an important means of obtaining…

In this article, we illustrate how the qualitative phase diagram of a gauge theory coupled to matter can be directly proved and how rigorous numerical bounds may be established. Our work reaffirms the seminal result of Fradkin and Shenker…

In this paper we make further refinements to the duality proposed between N=1 SQCD and certain string (supergravity plus branes) backgrounds, working in the regime of comparable large number of colors and flavors. Using the string theory…

We study the thermal phase transitions of a generic real scalar field, without a $Z_2$-symmetry, referred to variously as an inert, sterile or singlet scalar, or $\phi^3+\phi^4$ theory. Such a scalar field arises in a wide range of models,…

We consider gauge theories of non-Abelian $finite$ groups, and discuss the 1+1 dimensional lattice gauge theory of the permutation group $S_N$ as an illustrative example. The partition function at finite $N$ can be written explicitly in a…

We study phase transitions and the nature of order in a class of classical generalized $O(N)$ nonlinear $\sigma$-models (NLS) constructed by minimally coupling pure NLS with additional degrees of freedom in the form of (i) Ising…

We study the phases of the 1+1 dimensional Non-Commutative Open String theory on a circle. We find that the length scale of non-commutativity increases at strong coupling, the coupling in turn being dressed by a power of D-string charge.…

For correlators in $\mathcal{N}=4$ Super Yang-Mills preserving half the supersymmetry, we manifestly recast the gauge theory Feynman diagram expansion as a sum over dual closed strings. Each individual Feynman diagram maps on to a Riemann…