A tale of two cones: the Higgs Branch of Sp(n) theories with 2n flavours
Abstract
The purpose of this short note is to highlight a particular phenomenon which concerns the Higgs branch of a certain family of 4d N = 2 theories with SO(2N) flavour symmetry. By studying the Higgs branch as an algebraic variety through Hilbert series techniques we find that it is not a single hyperkahler cone but rather the union of two cones with intersection a hyperkahler subvariety which we specify. This remarkable phenomenon is not only interesting per se but plays a crucial role in understanding the structure of all Higgs branches that are generated by mesons.
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