Dynamics from symmetries in chiral $SU(N)$ gauge theories

Abstract

The symmetries and dynamics of simple chiral $SU(N)$ gauge theories, with matter Weyl fermions in a two-index symmetric tensor and $N+4$ anti-fundamental representations, are examined, by taking advantage of the recent developments involving the ideas of generalized symmetries, gauging of discrete center 1-form symmetries and mixed 't Hooft anomalies. This class of models are particularly interesting because the conventional 't Hooft anomaly matching constraints allow a chirally symmetric confining vacuum, with no condensates breaking the $U(1) \times SU(N+4)$ flavor symmetry, and with certain set of massless baryonlike composite fermions saturating all the associated anomaly triangles. Our calculations show that in such a vacuum the UV-IR matching of some $0$-form$-$$1$-form mixed 't Hooft anomalies fails. This implies, for the theories with even $N$ at least, that a chirally symmetric confining vacuum contemplated earlier in the literature actually cannot be realized dynamically. In contrast, a Higgs phase characterized by some gauge-noninvariant bifermion condensates passes our improved scrutiny.