Vector-Tensor Duality

TL;DR

This paper explores a non-abelian two-form potential that generates vector boson masses without Higgs mechanism, using duality and flat connections to relate it to non-linear sigma models, revealing novel duality properties.

Contribution

It introduces a new duality framework involving flat connections that preserves Higgs-free mass generation in non-abelian gauge theories.

Findings

Duality is restored with a flat connection coupling.

The theory is dual to a non-linear sigma model.

Higgs-free topological mass generation is preserved.

Abstract

A dynamical non-abelian two-form potential gives masses to vector bosons via a topological coupling. Unlike in the abelian case, the two-form cannot be dualized to Goldstone bosons. Duality is restored by coupling a flat connection to the theory in a particular way, and the new action is then dualized to a non-linear sigma model. The presence of the flat connection is crucial, which saves the original mechanism of Higgs-free topological mass generation from being dualized to a sigma model.