Comments on F-maximization and R-symmetry in 3D SCFTs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the F-maximization principle in 3D SCFTs by numerically analyzing an N=2 Chern-Simons-Matter theory, revealing inconsistencies with duality predictions and highlighting challenges in the principle's application.

Contribution

It provides the first numerical analysis of F-maximization in a large-N 3D SCFT with accidental symmetries, questioning its universality and compatibility with dualities.

Findings

F-maximization yields a consistent U(1) R-symmetry

Observed violations of Seiberg-like duality predictions

Decoupling fields do not fully explain the discrepancies

Abstract

We report preliminary results on the recently proposed F-maximization principle in 3D SCFTs. We compute numerically in the large-N limit the free energy on the three-sphere of an N=2 Chern-Simons-Matter theory with a single adjoint chiral superfield which is known to exhibit a pattern of accidental symmetries associated to chiral superfields that hit the unitarity bound and become free. We observe that the F-maximization principle produces a U(1) R-symmetry consistent with previously obtained bounds but inconsistent with a postulated Seiberg-like duality. Potential modifications of the principle associated to the decoupling fields do not appear to be sufficient to account for the observed violations.