Deconfinement on axion domain walls

Anber, Mohamed M.; Poppitz, Erich

Abstract

We study SU(Nc) gauge theories with Dirac fermions in representations ℛ of nonzero N -ality, coupled to axions. These theories have an exact discrete chiral symmetry, which has a mixed ’t Hooft anomaly with general baryon-color-flavor backgrounds, called the “BCF anomaly” in [1]. The infrared theory also has an emergent Z(1)Nc 1-form center symmetry. We show that the BCF anomaly is matched in the infrared by axion domain walls. We argue that Z(1)Nc is spontaneously broken on axion domain walls, so that nonzero N -ality Wilson loops obey the perimeter law and probe quarks are deconfined on the walls. We give further support to our conclusion by using a calculable small-circle compactification to study the multi-scale structure of the axion domain walls and the microscopic physics of deconfinement on their worldvolume.

Citation

Anber, M. M., & Poppitz, E. (2020). Deconfinement on axion domain walls. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2020(3), Article 124. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep03%282020%29124

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 3, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Mar 23, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 4, 2021
• Journal: Journal of High Energy Physics
• Print ISSN: 1126-6708
• Electronic ISSN: 1029-8479
• Publisher: Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2020
• Issue: 3
• Article Number: 124
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep03%282020%29124
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1234649
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.03631