Planar Quantum Mechanics: an Intriguing Supersymmetric Example

Abstract

After setting up a Hamiltonian formulation of planar (matrix) quantum mechanics, we illustrate its effectiveness in a non-trivial supersymmetric example. The numerical and analytical study of two sectors of the model, as a function of 't Hooft's coupling $\lambda$, reveals both a phase transition at $\lambda=1$ (disappearence of the mass gap and discontinuous jump in Witten's index) and a new form of strong-weak duality for $\lambda \to 1/\lambda$.