2000/07/31 by Igor R. Klebanov, Igor R Klebanov, Matthew J. Strassler +1 · 62 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions #hep-ph #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1126-6708/2000/08/052
published as JHEP 0008:052,2000 · 38 pages; v2: Discussion of screening effects for N/M noninteger added to Secs. 4, 5. v3: Minor corrections to v2 changes (Sec. 5.2) v4 Additional comments about (2,1) forms, references added
openalex publication_date 2000/08/31 · arxiv created 2000/09/11 · arxiv updated 2011/05/05 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We revisit the singular IIB supergravity solution describing M fractional 3-branes on the conifold [hep-th/0002159]. Its 5-form flux decreases, which we explain by showing that the relevant \NN=1 SUSY SU(N+M)xSU(N) gauge theory undergoes repeated Seiberg-duality transformations in which N -> N-M. Far in the IR the gauge theory confines; its chiral symmetry breaking removes the singularity of hep-th/0002159 by deforming the conifold. We propose a non-singular pure-supergravity background dual to the field theory on all scales, with small curvature everywhere if the `t Hooft coupling gs M is large. In the UV it approaches that of hep-th/0002159, incorporating the logarithmic flow of couplings. In the IR the deformation of the conifold gives a geometrical realization of chiral symmetry breaking and confinement. We suggest that pure \NN=1 Yang-Mills may be dual to strings propagating at small gs M on a warped deformed conifold. We note also that the standard model itself may lie at the base of a duality cascade.