Related papers: Effects in Gauge Theories and a Harmonic Function …
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 study non-perturbative D(-1)-instanton corrections to quartic gauge and curvature couplings in 8d type IIB orientifolds, in terms of a one-loop computation of BPS D0-branes in T-dual type I' models. The complete perturbative and…
We discuss the effects of instantons in partially broken gauge groups on the low-energy effective gauge theory. Such effects arise when some of the instantons of the original gauge group G are no longer contained in (or can not be gauge…
We study D-brane instantons in systems of D3-branes at toric CY 3-fold singularities. The instanton effect can be described as a backreaction modifying the geometry of the mirror configuration, in which the breaking of $U(1)$ symmetries by…
Recently, Diaconescu, Moore and Witten provided a nontrivial link between K-theory and M-theory, by deriving the partition function of the Ramond-Ramond fields of Type IIA string theory from an E8 gauge theory in eleven dimensions. We give…
We show how the topological string partition function, which is known to capture the degeneracies of a gas of BPS spinning M2-branes in M-theory compactified to 5 dimensions, is related to a 4-dimensional D-brane system that consists of…
We construct the world-volume action of a probe D3-brane in $AdS_5 \times S^5$ with $N$ units of flux. It has the field content, symmetries, and dualities of the $U(1)$ factor of ${\cal N} =4$ $U(N+1)$ super Yang--Mills theory,…
We study mass-deformed N=2 gauge theories from various points of view. Their partition functions can be computed via three dual approaches: firstly, (p,q)-brane webs in type II string theory using Nekrasov's instanton calculus, secondly,…
We discuss the origin of enhanced gauge symmetry in ALE (and K3) compactification of M theory, either defined as the strong coupling limit of the type IIa superstring, or as defined by Banks et al. In the D-brane formalism, wrapped…
We discuss the role of Abelian gauge symmetries in type IIB orientifold compactifications and their F-theory uplift. Particular emphasis is placed on U(1)s which become massive through the geometric St\"uckelberg mechanism in type IIB. We…
The T-dual formulation of Type I superstring theory, sometimes called Type I' theory, has a number of interesting features. Here we review some of them including the role of D0-branes and D8-branes in controlling possible gauge symmetry…
We consider the probem of gauging discrete symmetries. All valid constraints on such symmetries can be understood in the low energy theory in terms of instantons. We note that string perturbation theory often exhibits global discrete…
A universal structure of world-volume theories of half-BPS branes in string and M-theory in terms of exceptional generalised geometry is observed. Previous constructions are extended in two ways: from internal $d$-dimensional space to full…
In an earlier work it was shown that the IR singularities arising in the nonplanar one loop two point function of a noncommutative ${\cal N}=2$ gauge theory can be reproduced exactly from the massless closed string exchanges. The…
We derive D-brane gauge theories for C^3/Z_n x Z_n orbifolds with discrete torsion and study the moduli space of a D-brane at a point. We show that, as suggested in previous work, closed string moduli do not fully resolve the singularity,…
We survey recent results on quantum corrections to the hypermultiplet moduli space M in type IIA/B string theory on a compact Calabi-Yau threefold X, or, equivalently, the vector multiplet moduli space in type IIB/A on X x S^1. Our main…
We study compactifications of the 6d E-string theory, the theory of a small E_8 instanton, to four dimensions. In particular we identify N=1 field theories in four dimensions corresponding to compactifications on arbitrary Riemann surfaces…
Based on the DBI action for the four coincident non-BPS D9-branes in the type IIA string theory we demonstrate that the gauge symmetry breaking through the tachyon condensation into the generalized monopole of codimension five produces a…
Effective field theories in type I and II superstring theories for D-branes located at points in the orbifold C^2/Z_n are supersymmetric gauge theories whose field content is conveniently summarized by a `quiver diagram,' and whose…
In these notes we review aspects of semi-realistic particle physics from the point of view of type II orientifold compactifications. We discuss the appearance of gauge theories on spacetime filling D-branes which wrap non-trivial cycles in…