Related papers: Geometric Aspects of Confining Strings
A recently proposed model of confining strings has a non-local world-sheet action induced by a space-time Kalb-Ramond tensor field. Here we show that, in the large-D approximation, an infinite set of ghost- and tachyon-free truncations of…
We study large-N double-scaling limits of U(N) gauge theories in four dimensions. We focus on theories in a partially confining phase where an abelian subgroup $\hat{G}$ of the gauge group remains unconfined. Double-scaling is defined near…
We discuss the formation of cosmic strings or macroscopic color flux tubes after the deconfinement/confinement phase transition in the pure Yang-Mills theory. Based on holographic dual descriptions, these cosmic strings can be interpreted…
We review recent developments in our understanding of the dynamics of strongly-coupled chiral $SU(N)$ gauge theories in four dimensions, problems which are potentially important in our quest to go beyond the standard $SU(3)_{QCD} \times…
We study the relation of confinement and chiral symmetry breaking in gauge theories with non-trivial center, such as SU(N) gauge theories. To this end, we deform these gauge theories by introducing an additional control parameter into the…
Spin networks, the quantum states of discrete geometry in loop quantum gravity, are directed graphs whose links are labeled by irreducible representations of SU(2), or spins. Cosmic strings are 1-dimensional topological defects carrying…
Some mysterious features of the strong interactions become easily understood if our usual QCD with N=3 is `close to' SU(oo) and if the latter theory is confining. N=oo theories are theoretically simpler; in particular there has been much…
We study general properties of confinement phase transitions in the early universe. An observable gravitational wave signal from such transitions requires significant supercooling. However, in almost all understood examples of confining…
Here we study two important properties of $2+1$ dimensional QCD -- confinement and pseudoscalar glueball spectrum -- with holographic approach. We consider the low energy decoupled geometry of the isotropic non-susy D$2$ brane. We find the…
We investigate the roughening transition in the pure $\mathbb{Z}_2$ lattice gauge theory in (2+1) dimensions. Using numerical simulations with matrix product states, we explore the static and dynamical properties of an electric flux string…
The phase structure of four-dimensional simplicial quantum gravity coupled to U(1) gauge fields has been studied using Monte-Carlo simulations. The smooth phase is found in the intermediate region between the crumpled phase and the branched…
An $(n, 1)$ string is a bound state of a D-string and $n$ fundamental strings. It may be described by a D-string with a world volume electric field turned on. As the electric field approaches its critical value, $n$ becomes large. We…
We consider non-Abelian strings in N=2 supersymmetric QCD with the U$(N)$ gauge group and $N_f=N$ quark flavors deformed by a mass term for the adjoint matter. This deformation breaks N=2 supersymmetry down to N=1. Dynamics of orientational…
Confinement properties of the $1+1$ Schwinger model can bestudied by computing the string tension between two charges. It is finite (vanishing) if the fermions are massive (massless) corresponding to the occurrence of confinement…
String theory, if it describes nature, is probably strongly coupled. In light of recent developments in string duality, this means that the ``real world'' should correspond to a region of the classical moduli space which admits no weak…
We study the phase diagram of a confining three-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric $\text{U}(N)\times\text{U}(N+M)$ theory with holographic dual corresponding to a known string theory solution. The theory possesses a global…
We study gaugino condensation in presence of an anomalous $U(1)$ gauge group and find that global supersymmetry is dynamically broken. An example of particular interest is provided by effective string models with 4-dimensional Green-Schwarz…
The confinement scenario in N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory at the monopole point is reviewed. Basic features of this U(1) confinement are contrasted with those we expect in QCD. In particular, extra states in the hadron spectrum and…
Recently, a new framework for solving the hierarchy problem has been proposed which does not rely on low energy supersymmetry or technicolor. The gravitational and gauge interactions unite at the electroweak scale, and the observed weakness…
Recently we observed a crossover transition (in the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter) from weak to strong coupling in N=2 supersymmetric QCD with the U(N) gauge group and N_f > N quark flavors. At strong coupling this theory can be described by a…