Reflection Factors for the Principal Chiral Model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the boundary conditions and reflection factors of the SU(2) Principal Chiral Model at level 1 on a half-line, using conformal field theory and analogies with the Kondo problem.

Contribution

It proposes a set of permissible boundary conditions and reflection factors for the model, connecting IR conformal limits with boundary integrability.

Findings

Identified boundary conditions compatible with scale invariance.

Derived reflection factors consistent with the IR conformal field theory.

Established a link between the model and the Kondo problem.

Abstract

We consider the SU(2) Principal Chiral Model (at level $k=1$) on the half-line with scale invariant boundary conditions. By looking at the IR limiting conformal field theory and comparing with the Kondo problem, we propose the set of permissible boundary conditions and the corresponding reflection factors.