Quantization of integrable systems and a 2d/4d duality

Abstract

We present a new duality between the F-terms of supersymmetric field theories defined in two-and four-dimensions respectively. The duality relates $\mathcal{N} = 2$ super-symmetric gauge theories in four dimensions, deformed by an Ω-background in one plane, to $\mathcal{N} = \left( {2,2} \right)$ gauged linear σ-models in two dimensions. On the four dimensional side, our main example is $\mathcal{N} = 2$ SQCD with gauge group G = SU(L) and N _F  = 2 L fundamental flavours. Using ideas of Nekrasov and Shatashvili, we argue that the Coulomb branch of this theory provides a quantization of the classical Heisenberg SL(2) spin chain. Agreement with the standard quantization via the Algebraic Bethe Ansatz implies the existence of an isomorphism between the chiral ring of the 4 d theory and that of a certain two-dimensional theory. The latter can be understood as the worldvolume theory on a surface operator/vortex string probing the Higgs branch of the same 4 d theory. We check the proposed duality by explicit calculation at low orders in the instanton expansion. One striking consequence is that the Seiberg-Witten solution of the 4 d theory is captured by a one-loop computation in two dimensions. The duality also has interesting connections with the AGT conjecture, matrix models and topological string theory where it corresponds to a refined version of the geometric transition.