String Theory Duals for Mass-deformed SO(N) and USp(2N) N=4 SYM Theories

TL;DR

This paper extends the string theory duals of mass-deformed N=4 SYM theories to SO(N) and USp(2N) gauge groups, involving 5-branes on RP^2, and clarifies the vacuum classification through a shifted 3-brane charge.

Contribution

It generalizes the known duals for SU(N) to SO(N) and USp(2N) gauge groups, introducing a shifted 3-brane charge related to vacuum classification.

Findings

String duals involve 5-branes wrapped on RP^2.

3-brane charge shift by half matches vacuum classification.

Provides a physical picture for massive vacua classification.

Abstract

We generalize the results of Polchinski and Strassler regarding the N=1-preserving mass deformation of N=4 SU(N) SYM theories and its string theory dual to SO(N) and USp(2N) gauge groups. The string theory duals involve 5-branes wrapped on RP^2. In order to match with the field theory classification of vacua, the 3-brane charge carried by such 5-branes must be shifted by a half, and this follows from a conjectured generalization of results of Freed and Witten. Our results provide an elegant physical picture for the classification of classically massive vacua in the mass-deformed N=4 theories.