Non-invertible symmetries along 4d RG flows

Abstract

We explore novel examples of RG flows preserving a non-invertible self-duality symmetry. Our main focus is on $\mathcal{N}=1$ quadratic superpotential deformations of 4d $\mathcal{N}=4$ super-Yang-Mills theory with gauge algebra $\mathfrak{su}(N)$. A theory that can be obtained in this way is the so-called $\mathcal{N}=1^*$ SYM where all adjoint chiral multiplets have a mass. Such IR theory exhibits a rich structure of vacua which we thoroughly examine. Our analysis elucidates the physics of spontaneous breaking of self-duality symmetry occurring in the degenerate gapped vacua. The construction can be generalized, taking as UV starting point a theory of class $\mathcal{S}$, to demonstrate how non-invertible self-duality symmetries exist in a variety of $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs. We finally apply this understanding to prove that the conifold theory has a non-invertible self-duality symmetry.