Les Houches lectures on supersymmetric Gauge Theories

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of supersymmetric gauge theories, covering foundational concepts, phase structures, superconformal theories, and dualities, highlighting their significance in theoretical physics and string theory.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive introduction to supersymmetric gauge theories, combining basic and advanced topics, and discusses their implications in modern theoretical physics.

Findings

Analysis of phase structures in supersymmetric systems

Discussion of superconformal theories and dualities

Insights into the relation between conformal symmetry and vacuum energy

Abstract

We introduce simple and more advanced concepts that have played a key role in the development of supersymmetric systems. This is done by first describing various supersymmetric quantum mechanics models. Topics covered include the basic construction of supersymmetric field theories, the phase structure of supersymmetric systems with and without gauge particles, superconformal theories and infrared duality in both field theory and string theory. A discussion of the relation of conformal symmetry to a vanishing vacuum energy (cosmological constant) is included.