Supersymmetric Gauge Theories with Flavors and Matrix Models

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationship between poles and cuts in N=1 supersymmetric U(N_c) gauge theories with flavors, analyzing pole passage through branch cuts and extending matrix model results to include flavors and other gauge groups.

Contribution

It introduces the on-shell possibility of poles passing through branch cuts and generalizes previous matrix model results to theories with flavors and different gauge groups.

Findings

Poles associated with flavors can pass through branch cuts.

Matrix model reproduces strong coupling results with zero glueball field.

Results suggest possible string theory explanations.

Abstract

We present two results concerning the relation between poles and cuts by using the example of N=1 U(N_c) gauge theories with matter fields in the adjoint, fundamental and anti-fundamental representations. The first result is the on-shell possibility of poles, which are associated with flavors and on the second sheet of the Riemann surface, passing through the branch cut and getting to the first sheet. The second result is the generalization of hep-th/0311181 (Intriligator, Kraus, Ryzhov, Shigemori, and Vafa) to include flavors. We clarify when there are closed cuts and how to reproduce the results of the strong coupling analysis by matrix model, by setting the glueball field to zero from the beginning. We also make remarks on the possible stringy explanations of the results and on generalization to SO(N_c) and USp(2N_c) gauge groups.