Related papers: Dirichlet Topological Defects
In this work we investigate the role of the symmetry of the Lagrangian on the existence of defects in systems of coupled scalar fields. We focus attention mainly on solutions where defects may nest defects. When space is non-compact we find…
We consider supersymmetric deformations of gauge theories in various dimensions obtained from a String Theory realisation of branes embedded in flux backgrounds. In particular we obtain deformations which take the form of Wilson line…
We discuss unifying features of topological field theories in 2, 3 and 4 dimensions. This includes relations among enumerative geometry (2d topological field theory) link invariants (3d Chern-Simons theory) and Donaldson invariants (4d…
The modern way to understand symmetries of a quantum field theory is via its topological defects in various dimensions. In this contribution to the proceedings we focus on line defects in 2d QFT and we point out that topological defects…
In this paper I discuss the formation of topological defects in quantum field theory and the relation between fractals and coherent states. The study of defect formation is particularly useful in the understanding of the same mathematical…
We show that relativistic strings of open and closed types in Minkowski space-time of dimension 3 and 4 have topologically stable singular points. This paper describes the structure of singularities, derives their normal forms, and…
The topological theory and the Volterra process are key tools for the classification of defects in Condensed Mater Physics. We employ the same methods to classify the 2D defects of a 4D maximally symmetric spacetime. These \textit{cosmic…
In this paper we deal with defects inside defects in systems of two scalar fields in 3+1 dimensions. The systems we consider are defined by potentials containing two real scalar fields, and so we are going to investigate domain ribbons…
Topological defects (such as monopoles, vortex lines, or domain walls) mark locations where disparate choices of a broken symmetry vacuum elsewhere in the system lead to irreconcilable differences. They are energetically costly (the energy…
I discuss some aspects of conformal defects and conformal interfaces in two spacetime dimensions. Special emphasis is placed on their role as spectrum-generating symmetries of classical string theory.
The interpretation of D-branes in terms of open strings has lead to much interest in boundary conditions of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). These studies have deepened our understanding of CFT and allowed us to develop new…
We consider several classes of symmetries of the Dirac Hamiltonian in 3+1 dimensions, with axially-deformed scalar and vector potentials. The symmetries include the known pseudospin and spin limits and additional symmetries which occur when…
p-Balls are topological defects in $(D,1)$ dimensions constructed with $\mathcal{M}\ge 1$ scalar fields which depend radially on only $2 \le p\le D-2$ spatial dimensions. Such defects are characterized by an action that breaks translational…
We describe a class of topological field theories called ``balanced topological field theories.'' These theories are associated to moduli problems with vanishing virtual dimension and calculate the Euler character of various moduli spaces.…
String theory suggests modifications of our spacetime such as extra dimensions and the existence of a mininal length scale. In models with addidional dimensions, the Planck scale can be lowered to values accessible by future colliders.…
Perturbative estimates suggest that extended topological defects such as cosmic strings emit few particles, but numerical simulations of the fields from which they are constructed suggest the opposite. In this paper we study the decay of…
The most general gauge-invariant marginal deformation of four-dimensional abelian BF-type topological field theory is studied. It is shown that the deformed quantum field theory is topological and that its observables compute, in addition…
Topological defects are produced during phase transitions in the very early Universe. They arise in most unified theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions. These lectures focus on the role of topological defects in…
Deformations of topological open string theories are described, with an emphasis on their algebraic structure. They are encoded in the mixed bulk-boundary correlators. They constitute the Hochschild complex of the open string algebra -- the…
Two different conformal field theories can be joined together along a defect line. We study such defects for the case where the conformal field theories on either side are single free bosons compactified on a circle. We concentrate on…