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Contact Terms, Unitarity, and F-Maximization in Three-Dimensional Superconformal Theories

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arxiv 1205.4142 v2 pith:BIRZU2CP submitted 2012-05-18 hep-th

Contact Terms, Unitarity, and F-Maximization in Three-Dimensional Superconformal Theories

classification hep-th
keywords termstheoriesbackgroundf-maximizationfieldsseveralsuperconformalthree-dimensional
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal T4 reserved
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We consider three-dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories on a three-sphere and analyze their free energy F as a function of background gauge and supergravity fields. A crucial role is played by certain local terms in these background fields, including several Chern-Simons terms. The presence of these terms clarifies a number of subtle properties of F. This understanding allows us to prove the F-maximization principle. It also explains why computing F via localization leads to a complex answer, even though we expect it to be real in unitary theories. We discuss several corollaries of our results and comment on the relation to the F-theorem.

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