Related papers: Untwisting Topological Field Theories
In a completely systematic and geometric way, we derive maximal and half-maximal supersymmetric gauged double field theories in lower than ten dimensions. To this end, we apply a simple twisting ansatz to the $D=10$ ungauged maximal and…
Talk given at the 26th Workshop: ``From Superstrings to Supergravity", Erice - Sicily, 5-12 December 1992. We review the superconformal properties of 2d matter coupled to gravity, and extensions thereof. Focusing on topological strings, we…
We construct a hierarchy of supersymmetric string theories by showing that the general N-extended superstrings may be viewed as a special class of the (N+1)-extended superstrings. As a side result, we find a twisted (N+2) superconformal…
Conformal supergravity arises in presently known formulations of twistor-string theory either via closed strings or via gauge-singlet open strings. We explore this sector of twistor-string theory, relating the relevant string modes to the…
Using the recent advances in our understanding of non-perturbative aspects of type II strings we show how non-trivial exact results for $N=2$ quantum field theories can be reduced to T-dualities of string theory. This is done by…
We define twistorial topological strings by considering tt* geometry of the 4d N=2 supersymmetric theories on the Nekrasov-Shatashvili half-Omega background, which leads to quantization of the associated hyperKahler geometries. We show that…
Supersymmetric states in M-theory are mapped after compactification to perturbatively non-supersymmetric states in type IIA string theory, with the supersymmetric parts being encoded in the non-perturbative section of the string theory. An…
The topological twist of N=2, D=4 matter-coupled supergravities requires a suitable R-symmetry. This symmetry is realised in the effective supergravities arising at tree level from certain heterotic compactifications. The set of instanton…
We show the existence of a global anomaly in the one-loop graphs of N=2 string theory, defined by sewing tree amplitudes, unless spacetime supersymmetry is imposed. The anomaly is responsible for the non-vanishing maximally helicity…
Starting with a supersymmetric U(N)xU(N) gauge theory built in N=1 superspace, a nonsupersymmetric theory is obtained by ``twisting'' the gauginos into a different representation of the group than the gauge bosons. Despite the fact that…
In any string theory there is a hidden, twisted superconformal symmetry algebra, part of which is made up by the BRST current and the anti-ghost. We investigate how this algebra can be systematically constructed for strings with $N\!-\!2$…
We discuss two dimensional N-extended supersymmetry in Euclidean signature and its R-symmetry. For N=2, the R-symmetry is SO(2)\times SO(1,1), so that only an A-twist is possible. To formulate a B-twist, or to construct Euclidean N=2 models…
We describe a topological string theory which reproduces many aspects of the 1/N expansion of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in two spacetime dimensions in the zero coupling (A=0) limit. The string theory is a modified version of topological…
In this article I first give an abbreviated history of string theory and then describe the recently-conjectured field-string duality. This suggests a class of nonsupersymmetric gauge theories which are conformal (CGT) to leading order of…
Every conformal field theory has the symmetry of taking each field to its adjoint. We consider here the quotient (orbifold) conformal field theory obtained by twisting with respect to this symmetry. A general method for computing such…
We show the existence of a supersymmetry breaking mechanism in string theory, where N=4 supersymmetry is broken spontaneously to N=2 and N=1 with moduli dependent gravitino masses. The spectrum of the spontaneously broken theory with lower…
In this thesis, we report on results in non-anticommutative field theory and twistor string theory, trying to be self-contained. We first review the construction of non-anticommutative N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and discuss a…
We develop techniques to compute higher loop string amplitudes for twisted $N=2$ theories with $\hat c=3$ (i.e. the critical case). An important ingredient is the discovery of an anomaly at every genus in decoupling of BRST trivial states,…
Quantum theory of 2d gravity for $c>1$ is examined as a non-critical string theory by taking account of the loop-correction of open strings whose end points are on the 2d world surface of the closed string. This loop-correction leads to a…
We discuss topological theories, arising from the general $\mathcal{N}=2$ twisted gauge theories. We initiate a program of their study in the Gromov-Witten paradigm. We re-examine the low-energy effective abelian theory in the presence of…