# Variational analysis of low-lying states in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

## TL;DR

This study numerically calculates the masses of low-lying bound states in N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with SU(2), showing approximate mass degeneracy and supermultiplet structure consistent with theoretical predictions.

## Contribution

The paper introduces an optimized variational method with an extended operator basis to improve mass calculations and analyze state mixing in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory.

## Key findings

- Masses of ground and excited states are approximately degenerate.
- Extended operator basis improves mass extraction accuracy.
- Results support the supermultiplet structure predicted by supersymmetry.

## Abstract

We have calculated the masses of bound states numerically in N = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(2). Using the suitably optimised variational method with an operator basis consisting of smeared Wilson loops and mesonic operators, we are able to obtain the masses of the ground states and first excited states in the scalar, pseudoscalar and spin-1/2 sectors. Extrapolated to the continuum limit, the corresponding particles appear to be approximately mass degenerate and to fit into the predicted chiral supermultiplets. The extended operator basis including both glueball-like and mesonic operators leads to improved results compared to earlier studies, and moreover allows us to investigate the mixing content of the physical states, which we compare to predictions in the literature.