A Mixed Phase of SUSY Gauge Theories from a-Maximization

TL;DR

This paper applies a-maximization to analyze N=1 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theories with an antisymmetric tensor, revealing a mixed phase with both free and interacting sectors at superconformal fixed points.

Contribution

It demonstrates the effectiveness of a-maximization in studying non-perturbative regimes and uncovers a mixed phase structure in these gauge theories.

Findings

Identification of superconformal fixed points for a large range of F

Evidence of IR splitting into free and interacting sectors

Validation of a-maximization as a tool for non-perturbative analysis

Abstract

We study N=1 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theories with an antisymmetric tensor and F flavors using the recent proposal of a-maximization by Intriligator and Wecht. This theory had previously been studied using the method of "deconfinement", but such an analysis was not conclusive since anomalous dimensions in the non-perturbative regime could not be calculated. Using a-maximization we show that for a large range of F the theory is at an interacting superconformal fixed point. However, we also find evidence that for a range of F the theory in the IR splits into a free "magnetic" gauge sector and an interacting superconformal sector.