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We study the space of supersymmetric AdS$_5$ solutions of type IIB supergravity corresponding to the conformal manifold of the dual $\mathcal{N}=1$ conformal field theory. We show that the background geometry naturally encodes a generalised holomorphic structure, dual to the superpotential of the field theory, with the existence of the full solution following from a continuity argument. In particular, this provides a solution to the long-standing problem of finding the gravity dual of the generic $\mathcal{N}=1$ deformations of $\mathcal{N}=4$ conformal field theory. Using this formalism, we derive a new result for the Hilbert series of the deformed field theories., Comment: 5 pages

Using exceptional generalised geometry, we classify which five-dimensional ${\cal N}=2$ gauged supergravities can arise as a consistent truncation of 10-/11-dimensional supergravity. Exceptional generalised geometry turns the classification into an algebraic problem of finding subgroups $G_S \subset \mathrm{USp}(8) \subset \mathrm{E}_{6(6)}$ that preserve exactly two spinors. Moreover, the intrinsic torsion of the $G_S$ structure must contain only constant singlets under $G_S$, and these, in turn, determine the gauging of the five-dimensional theory. The resulting five-dimensional theories are strongly constrained: their scalar manifolds are necessarily symmetric spaces and only a small number of matter multiplets can be kept, which we completely enumerate. We also determine the largest reductive and compact gaugings that can arise from consistent truncations., Comment: 61 pages

We discuss consistent truncations of eleven-dimensional supergravity on a six-dimensional manifold $M$, preserving minimal $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetry in five dimensions. These are based on $G_S \subseteq USp(6)$ structures for the generalised $E_{6(6)}$ tangent bundle on $M$, such that the intrinsic torsion is a constant $G_S$ singlet. We spell out the algorithm defining the full bosonic truncation ansatz and then apply this formalism to consistent truncations that contain warped AdS$_5 \times_{\rm w}M$ solutions arising from M5-branes wrapped on a Riemann surface. The generalised $U(1)$ structure associated with the $\mathcal{N}=2$ solution of Maldacena-Nu\~nez leads to five-dimensional supergravity with four vector multiplets, one hypermultiplet and $SO(3)\times U(1)\times \mathbb{R}$ gauge group. The generalised structure associated with "BBBW" solutions yields two vector multiplets, one hypermultiplet and an abelian gauging. We argue that these are the most general consistent truncations on such backgrounds., Comment: 69 pages; v3: published version

We present a generalised geometry framework for systematically constructing consistent truncations of ten- and eleven-dimensional supergravity preserving varying fractions of supersymmetry. Truncations arise when there is a reduced structure group $G_S$ of the exceptional generalised geometry, such that the intrinsic torsion is a $G_S$-singlet. The matter content of the truncated theory follows from group-theoretical arguments, while the gauging is determined by the sub-algebra of generalised diffeomorphisms generated by the $G_S$-singlet vectors. After discussing the general ideas across different spacetime dimensions and amounts of supersymmetry, we provide detailed formulae for truncations to gauged half-maximal supergravity in five dimensions. In particular, we establish an expression for the generalised metric on the exceptional tangent bundle, which determines the scalar truncation ansatz. As applications, we show that this formalism gives a simple derivation of a new consistent truncation of type IIB supergravity on $\beta$-deformed Lunin-Maldacena geometries, yielding half-maximal supergravity coupled to two vector multiplets, and of the truncation of eleven-dimensional supergravity on Maldacena-N\'u\~nez geometries, given by $S^4$ twisted over a Riemann surface, which leads to half-maximal supergravity coupled to three vector multiplets., Comment: 60 pages; v2: minor changes, added references

We present the uplift of the GPPZ solution of the five-dimensional maximal supergravity to ten dimensions. The five dimensional solution involves two real scalar fields, with one of them encoding holographically the (norm of the complex) supersymmetric ${\mathcal N}=1$ mass deformation and the other the real part of the gaugino condensate. We embed this solution in a consistent truncation of $D=5$ maximal supergravity which involves two complex scalars dual to the complex mass deformations and the complex gaugino condensate, and a $U(1)$ gauge field dual to the $U(1)_R$ current, and uplift it to ten dimensions. The ten dimensional solution is completely explicit, with all fields given in terms of elementary functions. The metric and the axion-dilaton agree with those of a partial uplift of the GPPZ flow by Pilch and Warner. We analyze the asymptotics and the singularity structure of the ten dimensional solution. The uplifted solution is singular, but the singularity is milder than that of the five dimensional solution, and there is conformal frame in which the metric is only singular at one point of $S^5$. We compare the asymptotics of the $10d$ solution with that of the Polchinski-Strassler and Freedman-Minahan solutions, and find agreement with Freedman-Minahan and disagreement with Polchinski-Strassler. In particular, we infer that while the Polchinski-Strassler $10d$ fields satisfy the correct boundary conditions, they do not solve the field equations near the boundary., Comment: 45 pages, v3: JHEP version, Mathematica file with the IIB solution and the verification of Einstein equations attached, corrected some typos, v4: Note Added, typos corrected

We study heterotic backgrounds with non-trivial $H$-flux and non-vanishing expectation values of fermionic bilinears, often referred to as gaugino condensates. The gaugini appear in the low energy action via the gauge-invariant three-form bilinear $\Sigma_{MNP}={\rm tr}\:\bar\chi\Gamma_{MNP}\chi$. For Calabi-Yau compactifications to four dimensions, the gaugino condensate corresponds to an internal three-form $\Sigma_{mnp}$ that must be a singlet of the holonomy group. This condition does not hold anymore when an internal $H$-flux is turned on and ${\cal O}(\alpha')$ effects are included. In this paper we study flux compactifications to three and four-dimensions on $G$-structure manifolds. We derive the generic conditions for supersymmetric solutions. We use integrability conditions and Lichnerowicz type arguments to derive a set of constraints whose solution, together with supersymmetry, is sufficient for finding backgrounds with gaugino condensate., Comment: 44 pages, minor corrections, references added

We apply exceptional generalised geometry to the study of exactly marginal deformations of $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs that are dual to generic AdS$_5$ flux backgrounds in type IIB or eleven-dimensional supergravity. In the gauge theory, marginal deformations are parametrised by the space of chiral primary operators of conformal dimension three, while exactly marginal deformations correspond to quotienting this space by the complexified global symmetry group. We show how the supergravity analysis gives a geometric interpretation of the gauge theory results. The marginal deformations arise from deformations of generalised structures that solve moment maps for the generalised diffeomorphism group and have the correct charge under the generalised Reeb vector, generating the R-symmetry. If this is the only symmetry of the background, all marginal deformations are exactly marginal. If the background possesses extra isometries, there are obstructions that come from fixed points of the moment maps. The exactly marginal deformations are then given by a further quotient by these extra isometries. Our analysis holds for any $\mathcal{N}=2$ AdS$_5$ flux background. Focussing on the particular case of type IIB Sasaki-Einstein backgrounds we recover the result that marginal deformations correspond to perturbing the solution by three-form flux at first order. In various explicit examples, we show that our expression for the three-form flux matches those in the literature and the obstruction conditions match the one-loop beta functions of the dual SCFT., Comment: 52 pages

We develop an exceptional generalised geometry formalism for massive type IIA supergravity. In particular, we construct a deformation of the generalised Lie derivative, which generates the type IIA gauge transformations as modified by the Romans mass. We apply this new framework to consistent Kaluza-Klein reductions preserving maximal supersymmetry. We find a generalised parallelisation of the exceptional tangent bundle on S^6, and from this reproduce the consistent truncation ansatz and embedding tensor leading to dyonically gauged ISO(7) supergravity in four dimensions. We also discuss closely related hyperboloid reductions, yielding a dyonic ISO(p,7-p) gauging. Finally, while for vanishing Romans mass we find a generalised parallelisation on S^d, d=4,3,2, leading to a maximally supersymmetric reduction with gauge group SO(d+1) (or larger), we provide evidence that an analogous reduction does not exist in the massive theory., Comment: 69 pages; v2: version published in JHEP

We analyse generic AdS flux backgrounds preserving eight supercharges in $D=4$ and $D=5$ dimensions using exceptional generalised geometry. We show that they are described by a pair of globally defined, generalised structures, identical to those that appear for flat flux backgrounds but with different integrability conditions. We give a number of explicit examples of such "exceptional Sasaki-Einstein" backgrounds in type IIB supergravity and M-theory. In particular, we give the complete analysis of the generic AdS$_5$ M-theory backgrounds. We also briefly discuss the structure of the moduli space of solutions. In all cases, one structure defines a "generalised Reeb vector" that generates a Killing symmetry of the background corresponding to the R-symmetry of the dual field theory, and in addition encodes the generic contact structures that appear in the $D=4$ M-theory and $D=5$ type IIB cases. Finally, we investigate the relation between generalised structures and quantities in the dual field theory, showing that the central charge and R-charge of BPS wrapped-brane states are both encoded by the generalised Reeb vector, as well as discussing how volume minimisation (the dual of $a$- and $\mathcal{F}$-maximisation) is encoded., Comment: 40 pages

We examine the AdS-CFT dual of arbitrary (non)supersymmetric fermionic mass deformations of N=4 SYM, and investigate how the backreaction of the RR and NS-NS two-form potentials dual to the fermion masses contribute to Coulomb-branch potential of D3 branes, which we interpret as the bulk boson mass matrix. Using representation-theory and supergravity arguments we show that the fermion masses completely determine the trace of this matrix, and that on the other hand its traceless components have to be turned on as non-normalizable modes. Our result resolves the tension between the belief that the AdS bulk dual of the trace of the boson mass matrix (which is not a chiral operator) is a stringy excitation with dimension of order $(g_s N)^{1/4}$ and the existence of non-stringy supergravity flows describing theories where this trace is nonzero, by showing that the stringy mode does not parameterize the sum of the squares of the boson masses but rather its departure from the trace of the square of the fermion mass matrix. Hence, asymptotically-AdS flows can only describe holographically theories where the sums of the squares of the bosonic and fermionic masses are equal, which is consistent with the weakly-coupled result that only such theories can have a conformal UV fixed point., Comment: 15 pages, LateX

A common way to obtain standard-model-like Lagrangians in string theory is to place D3-branes inside flux compactifications. The bosonic and fermionic masses and couplings of the resulting gauge theory are determined by the ten-dimensional metric and the fluxes, respectively, and the breaking of supersymmetry is soft. However, not any soft-supersymmetry-breaking Lagrangian can be obtained this way since the string theory equations of motion impose certain relations between the soft couplings. We show that for D3-branes in background fluxes, these relations imply that the sums of the squares of the boson and of the fermion masses are equal and that, furthermore, one- and two-loop quantum corrections do not spoil this equality. This makes the use of D3-branes for constructing computationally controllable models for physics beyond the standard model problematic., Comment: 4 pages. v2: minor changes

We use the formalism of Generalised Geometry to characterise in general the supersymmetric backgrounds in type II supergravity that have a null Killing vector. We then specify this analysis to configurations that preserve the same supersymmetries as the D1-D5-P system compactified on a four-manifold. We give a set of equations on the forms defining the supergravity background that are equivalent to the supersymmetry constraints and the equations of motion. This study is motivated by the search of new microstate geometries for the D1-D5-P black hole. As an example, we rewrite the linearised three-charge solution of arXiv:hep-th/0311092 in our formalism and show how to extend it to a non-linear, regular and asymptotically flat configuration., Comment: 59 pages, including 19 pages of Appendix; v2: corrected typos, added references; v3: corrected typos, eq. (3.55) simplified

We study supersymmetric black holes in $AdS_4$ in the framework of four dimensional gauged $\N=2$ supergravity coupled to hypermultiplets. We derive the flow equations for a general electrically gauged theory where the gauge group is Abelian and, restricting them to the fixed points, we derive the gauged supergravity analogue of the attractor equations for theories coupled to hypermultiplets. The particular models we analyze are consistent truncations of M-theory on certain Sasaki-Einstein seven-manifolds. We study the space of horizon solutions of the form $AdS_2\times \Sigma_g$ with both electric and magnetic charges and find a four-dimensional solution space when the theory arises from a reduction on $Q^{111}$. For other $SE_7$ reductions, the solutions space is a subspace of this. We construct explicit examples of spherically symmetric black holes numerically., Comment: 38 page, 4 figures; typos corrected

We find infinite families of supersymmetric solutions of four dimensional, N=2 gauged supergravity with Lifshitz, Schrodinger and also AdS symmetries. We focus on the canonical example of a single hypermultiplet and a single vector multiplet and find that the spectrum of solutions depends crucially on whether the gaugings are electric or magnetic but to a far milder extent on the strength of the gaugings. For purely electric or purely magnetic gaugings we generically find Lifshitz solutions, while for a mixed gauging we find Schrodinger and AdS solutions. For some of the gaugings the theory has a known lift to string/M-theory thus giving a higher dimensional embedding of our solutions., Comment: 27 pages, v2 refs added, comments regarding string embeddings altered, cleaner discussion of the scaling parameter for Schrodinger solutions; v3 published version, refs added

We consider IIA compactifications on solvmanifolds with O6/D6 branes and study the conditions for obtaining de Sitter vacua in ten dimensions. While this is a popular set-up for searching de Sitter vacua, we propose a new method to include supersymmetry breaking sources. For space-time filling branes preserving bulk supersymmetry, the energy density can easily be extremized with respect to all fields, thanks to the replacement of the DBI action by a pullback of a special form given by a pure spinor. For sources breaking bulk supersymmetry, we propose to replace the DBI action by the pullback of a more general polyform, which is no longer pure. This generalization provides corrections to the energy-momentum tensor which give a positive contribution to the cosmological constant. We find a de Sitter solution to all (bulk and world-volume) equations derived from this action. We argue it solves the equations derived from the standard source action. The paper also contains a review of solvmanifolds., Comment: 57 pages, 3 figures. Important additions (concerning the validity of our solution in string theory); version to appear in JHEP

We construct new families of interpolating two-parameter solutions of type IIB supergravity. These correspond to D3-D5 systems on non-compact six-dimensional manifolds which are T^2 fibrations over Eguchi-Hanson and multi-center Taub-NUT spaces, respectively. One end of the interpolation corresponds to a solution with only D5 branes and vanishing NS three-form flux. A topology changing transition occurs at the other end, where the internal space becomes a direct product of the four-dimensional surface and the two-torus and the complexified NS-RR three-form flux becomes imaginary self-dual. Depending on the choice of the connections on the torus fibre, the interpolating family has either N=2 or N=1 supersymmetry. In the N=2 case it can be shown that the solutions are regular., Comment: 20 pages

We find explicit AdS4 solutions of massive type IIA with N=2 supersymmetry obtained deforming with a Roman mass the type IIA supersymmetric reduction of the M theory background AdS4 times M111. The family of solutions have SU(3) times SU(3) structure and isometry SU(3) times U(1)^2. They are conjectured to be dual to three-dimensional N=2 Chern-Simons theories with generic Chern-Simons couplings and gauge group ranks., Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure, comments and references added

It is well known that a constant O(n,n,Z) transformation can relate different string backgrounds with n commuting isometries that have very different geometric and topological properties. Here we construct discrete families of (flux) backgrounds on internal manifolds of different topologies by performing certain coordinate dependent O(d,d) transformations, where d is the dimension of the internal manifold. Our two principal examples include respectively the family of type IIB compactifications with D5 branes and O5 planes on six-dimensional nilmanifolds, and the heterotic torsional backgrounds., Comment: 32 pages; Clarifications added; version to appear in JHEP

We discuss the action of O(d,d), and in particular T-duality, in the context of generalized geometry, focusing on the description of so-called non-geometric backgrounds. We derive local expressions for the pure spinors descibing the generalized geometry dual to an SU(3) structure background, and show that the equations for N=1 vacua are invariant under T-duality. We also propose a local generalized geometrical definition of the charges f, H, Q and R appearing in effective four-dimensional theories, using the Courant bracket. We then address certain global aspects, in particular whether the local non-geometric charges can be gauged away in, for instance, backgrounds admitting a torus action, as well as the structure of generalized parallelizable backgrounds., Comment: 33 pages

We consider a class of super-conformal beta-deformed N=1 gauge theories dual to string theory on $AdS_5 \times X$ with fluxes, where $X$ is a deformed Sasaki-Einstein manifold. The supergravity backgrounds are explicit examples of Generalised Calabi-Yau manifolds: the cone over $X$ admits an integrable generalised complex structure in terms of which the BPS sector of the gauge theory can be described. The moduli spaces of the deformed toric N=1 gauge theories are studied on a number of examples and are in agreement with the moduli spaces of D3 and D5 static and dual giant probes., Comment: 53 pages, 8 figures

We perform a systematic search for N=1 Minkowski vacua of type II string theories on compact six-dimensional parallelizable nil- and solvmanifolds (quotients of six-dimensional nilpotent and solvable groups, respectively). Some of these manifolds have appeared in the construction of string backgrounds and are typically called twisted tori. We look for vacua directly in ten dimensions, using the a reformulation of the supersymmetry condition in the framework of generalized complex geometry. Certain algebraic criteria to establish compactness of the manifolds involved are also needed. Although the conditions for preserved N=1 supersymmetry fit nicely in the framework of generalized complex geometry, they are notoriously hard to solve when coupled to the Bianchi identities. We find solutions in a large-volume, constant-dilaton limit. Among these, we identify those that are T-dual to backgrounds of IIB on a conformal T^6 with self-dual three-form flux, and hence conceptually not new. For all backgrounds of this type fully localized solutions can be obtained. The other new solutions need multiple intersecting sources (either orientifold planes or combinations of O-planes and D-branes) to satisfy the Bianchi identities; the full list of such new solution is given. These are so far only smeared solutions, and their localization is yet unknown. Although valid in a large-volume limit, they are the first examples of Minkowski vacua in supergravity which are not connected by any duality to a Calabi-Yau. Finally, we discuss a class of flat solvmanifolds that may lead to AdS_4 vacua of type IIA strings., Comment: 75 pages, 1 figure. v.2: minor corrections, references added; v3: several changes and clarifications

We analyze the supersymmetry conditions for a class of SU(2) structure backgrounds of Type IIB supergravity, corresponding to a specific ansatz for the supersymmetry parameters. These backgrounds are relevant for the AdS/CFT correspondence since they are suitable to describe mass deformations or beta-deformations of four-dimensional superconformal gauge theories. Using Generalized Complex Geometry we show that these geometries are characterized by a closed nowhere-vanishing vector field and a modified fundamental form which is also closed. The vector field encodes the information about the superpotential and the type of deformation - mass or beta respectively. We also show that the Pilch-Warner solution dual to a mass-deformation of N =4 Super Yang-Mills and the Lunin-Maldacena beta-deformation of the same background fall in our class of solutions., Comment: LaTex, 29 pages

We characterize N=1 vacua of type II theories in terms of generalized complex structure on the internal manifold M. The structure group of T(M) + T*(M) being SU(3) x SU(3) implies the existence of two pure spinors Phi_1 and Phi_2. The conditions for preserving N=1 supersymmetry turn out to be simple generalizations of equations that have appeared in the context of N=2 and topological strings. They are (d + H wedge) Phi_1=0 and (d + H wedge) Phi_2 = F_RR. The equation for the first pure spinor implies that the internal space is a twisted generalized Calabi-Yau manifold of a hybrid complex-symplectic type, while the RR-fields serve as an integrability defect for the second., Comment: 21 pages. v2, v3: minor changes and corrections

We exhibit a one-parameter family of regular supersymmetric solutions of type IIB theory that interpolates between Klebanov-Strassler (KS) and Maldacena-Nunez (MN). The solution is obtained by applying the supersymmetry conditions for SU(3)-structure manifolds to an interpolating ansatz proposed by Papadopoulos and Tseytlin. Other than at the KS point, the family does not have a conformally-Ricci-flat metric, neither it has self-dual three-form flux. Nevertheless, the asymptotic IR and UV are that of KS troughout the family, except for the extremal value of the interpolating parameter where the UV solution drastically changes to MN. This one-parameter family of solutions is interpreted as the dual of the baryonic branch of gauge theory, confirming the expecation that the KS solution corresponds to a particular symmetric point in the branch., Comment: 32 pages, 6 eps figures. v2: Typos fixed. v3: Comments added on the gauge theory interpretation of the solution

This is a short version of hep-th/0406137. We show that the supersymmetry transformations for type II string theories on six-manifolds can be written as differential conditions on a pair of pure spinors, the exponentiated Kahler form e^{iJ} and the holomorphic form Omega. The equations are explicitly symmetric under exchange of the two pure spinors and a choice of even or odd-rank RR field. This is mirror symmetry for manifolds with torsion. Moreover, RR fluxes affect only one of the two equations: e^{iJ} is closed under the action of the twisted exterior derivative in IIA theory, and similarly Omega is closed in IIB. This means that supersymmetric SU(3)-structure manifolds are always complex in IIB while they are twisted symplectic in IIA. Modulo a different action of the B-field, these are all generalized Calabi-Yau manifolds, as defined by Hitchin., Comment: 9 pages, Proceedings of Strings 2004, Paris, June 28-July 2

We show that the supersymmetry transformations for type II string theories on six-manifolds can be written as differential conditions on a pair of pure spinors, the exponentiated Kahler form exp(iJ) and the holomorphic form Omega. The equations are explicitly symmetric under exchange of the two pure spinors and a choice of even or odd-rank RR field. This is mirror symmetry for manifolds with torsion. Moreover, RR fluxes affect only one of the two equations: exp(iJ) is closed under the action of the twisted exterior derivative in IIA theory, and similarly Omega is closed in IIB. Modulo a different action of the B-field, this means that supersymmetric SU(3)-structure manifolds are all generalized Calabi-Yau manifolds, as defined by Hitchin. An equivalent, and somewhat more conventional, description is given as a set of relations between the components of intrinsic torsions modified by the NS flux and the Clifford products of RR fluxes with pure spinors, allowing for a classification of type II supersymmetric vacua on six-manifolds. We find in particular that supersymmetric six-manifolds are always complex for IIB backgrounds while they are twisted symplectic for IIA., Comment: 35 pages, LaTeX; v2: Corrections in sec. 4, references added, version to appear in JHEP

We study aspects of confinement in two deformed versions of the AdS/CFT correspondence - the GPPZ dual of N=1* Yang Mills, and the Yang Mills* N=0 dual. Both geometries describe discrete glueball spectra which we calculate numerically. The results agree at the 10% level with previous AdS/CFT computations in the Klebanov Strassler background and AdS Schwarzchild respectively. We also calculate the spectra of bound states of the massive fermions in these geometries and show that they are light, so not decoupled from the dynamics. We then study the behaviour of Wilson loops in the 10d lifts of these geometries. We find a transition from AdS-like strings in the UV to strings that interact with the unknown physics of the central singularity of the space in the IR., Comment: latex, 24 pages, 7 figures, extra analysis and interpretation of Wilson loops

We pursue the study of string interactions in the PP-wave background and show that the proposal of hep-th/0211188 can be extended to a full supersymmetric vertex. Then we compute some string amplitudes in both the bosonic and fermionic sector, finding agreement with the field theory results at leading order in lambda'., Comment: Latex, 25 pages. Comments added and typos corrected

We discuss how in the presence of a nontrivial RR two-form field strength and nontrivial dilaton the conditions of preserving supersymmetry on six-dimensional manifolds lead to generalized monopole and Killing spinor equations. We show that the manifold is K\"ahler in the ten-dimensional string frame if F_0^{(1,1)}=0. We then determine explicitly the intrinsic torsion of the SU(3)-structure on six-manifolds that result via Kaluza-Klein reduction from seven-manifolds with G_2-structure of generic intrinsic torsion. Lastly we give explicitly the intrinsic torsion of the SU(3)-structure for an N=1 supersymmetric background in the presence of nontrivial RR two-form field strength and nontrivial dilaton., Comment: LaTeX, 8 pages, talk given at the 35th Symposium Ahrenshoop, enlarged version of the contribution to the proceedings

Free string theory on the plane-wave background displays a discrete Z2 symmetry exchanging the two transverse SO(4) rotation groups. This symmetry should be respected also at the interacting level. We show that the zero mode structure proposed in hep-th/0208148 can be completed to a full kinematical vertex, contrary to claims appeared in the previous literature. We also comment on the relation with recent works on the string-bit formalism and on the comparison with the field theory side of the correspondence., Comment: Proceeding of the 35th Symposium Ahrenshoop Aug 2002 and the Leuven RTN-workshop Sept 2002

We consider type IIB string interaction on the maximally supersymmetric pp-wave background and discuss how the bosonic symmetries of the background are realized. This analysis shows that there are some interesting differences with respect to the flat-space case and suggests modifications to the existing form of the string vertex. We focus on the zero-mode part which is responsible for some puzzling string predictions about the N=4 SYM side. We show that these puzzles disappear when a symmetry preserving string interaction is used., Comment: Latex, 12 pages. v2: reference added, typos corrected. v3: add comments on subsequent developments and literatures

We show how in the presence of RR two-form field strength the conditions for preserving supersymmetry on six- and seven-dimensional manifolds lead to certain generalizations of monopole equations. For six dimensions the string frame metric is Kaehler with the complex structure that descends from the octonions if in addition we assume F^{(1,1)}=0. The susy generator is a gauge covariantly constant spinor. For seven dimensions the string frame metric is conformal to a G_2 metric if in addition we assume the field strength to obey a selfduality constraint. Solutions to these equations lift to geometries of G_2 and Spin(7) holonomy respectively., Comment: LaTeX, 13 pages

We study the addition of an irrelevant operator to the N=4 supersymmetric large n SU(n) gauge theory, in the presence of finite temperature, T. In the supergravity dual, the effect of the operator is known to correspond to a deformation of the AdS_5 x S^5 ``throat'' which restores the asymptotic ten dimensional Minkowski region of spacetime, completing the full D3-brane solution. The system at non-zero T is interesting, since at the extremes of some of the geometrical parameters the geometry interpolates between a seven dimensional spherical Minkowskian Schwarzschild black hole (times R^3) and a five dimensional flat AdS Schwarzschild black hole (times S^5). We observe that when the coupling of the operator reaches a critical value, the deconfined phase, which is represented by the geometry with horizon, disappears for all temperatures, returning the system to a confined phase which is represented by the thermalised extremal geometry., Comment: 17 pages, 5 eps figures, LaTeX, added discussion and refs

A chemical potential may be introduced into the AdS/CFT correspondence by setting the D3 branes of the construction spinning. In the field theory the fermionic modes are expected to condense as Cooper pairs, although at zero temperature the chemical potential destabilizes the scalar sector of the N=4 theory obscuring this phenomena. We show, in the case where a chemical potential is introduced for a small number of the gauge colours, that there is a metastable vacuum for the scalar fields where fermionic Cooper pairing is apparently manifest. In this vacuum the D3 branes expand non-commutatively (to balance the centrifugal force) into a D5 brane, in a mechanism analogous to Harmark and Savvidy's (M)atrix theory construction of a spinning D2 brane. We show that the D5 brane acts as a source for the RR 3-form whose UV scaling and symmetries are those of a fermion bilinear. The D5 brane rotates within the S^5 and so decays by the emission of RR fields which we interpret as the metastable vacuum decaying via higher dimension operators., Comment: 12 pages (minor corrections)

We study the family of ten dimensional type IIB supergravity solutions corresponding to renormalisation group flows from N=4 to N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. Part of the solution set corresponds to a submanifold of the Coulomb branch of the gauge theory, and we use a D3-brane probe to uncover details of this physics. At generic places where supergravity is singular, the smooth physics of the probe yields the correct one-loop form of the effective low energy gauge coupling. The probe becomes tensionless on a ring at finite radius. Supergravity flows which end on this ``enhancon'' ring correspond to the vacua where extra massless degrees of freedom appear in the gauge theory, and the gauge coupling diverges there. We identify an SL(2,Z) duality action on the enhancon ring which relates the special vacua, and comment on the massless dyons within them. We propose that the supergravity solution inside the enhancon ring should be excised, since the probe's tension is unphysical there., Comment: 25 pages, 3 composite figures, LaTex (v2: reference added. clarifying footnote added. typos corrected, with addition to discussion of BPS dyons in section 7.)

We study the infrared perturbative properties of a class of non supersymmetric gauge theories with the same field content of N=4 Super Yang-Mills and we show that the N=4 supersymmetric model represents an IR unstable fixed point for the renormalization group equations., Comment: 9 pages, Latex, revised version with minor changes