F-theorem, duality and SUSY breaking in one-adjoint Chern-Simons-Matter theories

TL;DR

This paper investigates 3D N=2 Chern-Simons theories with an adjoint matter field, testing dualities, proposing modifications to F-maximization, and exploring supersymmetry breaking constraints using localization and partition functions.

Contribution

It extends localization techniques to test dualities, proposes a modified F-maximization accounting for decoupling fields, and introduces a new non-perturbative constraint on SUSY breaking.

Findings

Confirmed several 3D Seiberg dualities

Proposed a modified F-maximization principle

Established a new constraint on supersymmetry breaking

Abstract

We extend previous work on N=2 Chern-Simons theories coupled to a single adjoint chiral superfield using localization techniques and the F-maximization principle. We provide tests of a series of proposed 3D Seiberg dualities and a new class of tests of the conjectured F-theorem. In addition, a proposal is made for a modification of the F-maximization principle that takes into account the effects of decoupling fields. Finally, we formulate and provide evidence for a new general non-perturbative constraint on spontaneous supersymmetry breaking in three dimensions based on Q-deformed S^3 partition functions. An explicit illustration based on the known analytic solution of the Chern-Simons matrix model is presented.