Exact Results on the Space of Vacua of Four Dimensional SUSY Gauge Theories

TL;DR

This paper investigates the structure of the vacuum moduli space in four-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories, revealing how quantum effects smooth classical singularities and introduce new massless states.

Contribution

It provides exact results on the quantum structure of the moduli space, clarifying the nature of singularities and massless states in these theories.

Findings

Quantum effects smooth classical singularities

New massless states can appear at moduli space singularities

Classical singularities correspond to extra massless particles or bound states

Abstract

We consider four dimensional quantum field theories which have a continuous manifold of inequivalent exact ground states -- a moduli space of vacua. Classically, the singular points on the moduli space are associated with extra massless particles. Quantum mechanically these singularities can be smoothed out. Alternatively, new massless states appear there. These may be the elementary massless particles or new massless bound states.