# nLab B-model

### Context

#### $\infty$-Chern-Simons theory

∞-Chern-Weil theory

∞-Chern-Simons theory

∞-Wess-Zumino-Witten theory

# Contents

## Idea

Witten introduced two topological twists of a supersymmtric nonlinear sigma model, which is a certain N=2 superconformal field theory attached to a compact Calabi–Yau variety $X$. One of them is the B-model topological string; it is a 2-dimensional topological N=1 superconformal field theory. In Kontsevich’s version, instead of SCFT with Hilbert space, one assembles all the needed data in terms of Calabi–Yau A-infinity-category which is the A-infinity-category of coherent sheaves on the underlying variety. In fact only the structure of a derived category is sufficient (and usually quoted): it is now known (by the results of Dmitri Orlov and Valery Lunts) that under mild assumptions on the variety, a derived category of coherent sheaves has a unique enhancement.

The B-model arose in considerations of superstring-propagation on Calabi–Yau varieties: it may be motivated by considering the vertex operator algebra of the 2dSCFT given by the N=2 supersymmetric nonlinear sigma-model with target $X$ and then changing the fields so that one of the super-Virasoro generators squares to 0. The resulting “topologically twisted” algebra may then be read as being the BRST complex of a TCFT.

One can also define a B-model for Landau–Ginzburg models. The category of D-branes for the string – the B-branes – is given by the category of matrix factorizations (this was proposed by Kontsevich and elaborated by Kapustin-Li; see also papers of Orlov). For the genus 0 closed string theory, see the work of Saito.

By homological mirror symmetry, the B-model is dual to the A-model.

## Properties

### Second quantization / effective background field theory

The second quantization effective field theory defined by the perturbation series of the B-model is supposed to be “Kodaira-Spencer gravity” / “BVOC theory” in 6d (BCOV 93, Costello-Li 12, Costello-Li 15).

For more on this see at TCFT – Worldsheet and effective background theories.

gauge theory induced via AdS-CFT correspondence

M-theory perspective via AdS7-CFT6F-theory perspective
11d supergravity/M-theory
$\;\;\;\;\downarrow$ Kaluza-Klein compactification on $S^4$compactificationon elliptic fibration followed by T-duality
7-dimensional supergravity
$\;\;\;\;\downarrow$ topological sector
7-dimensional Chern-Simons theory
$\;\;\;\;\downarrow$ AdS7-CFT6 holographic duality
6d (2,0)-superconformal QFT on the M5-brane with conformal invarianceM5-brane worldvolume theory
$\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ KK-compactification on Riemann surfacedouble dimensional reduction on M-theory/F-theory elliptic fibration
N=2 D=4 super Yang-Mills theory with Montonen-Olive S-duality invariance; AGT correspondenceD3-brane worldvolume theory with type IIB S-duality
$\;\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ topological twist
topologically twisted N=2 D=4 super Yang-Mills theory
$\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ KK-compactification on Riemann surface
A-model on $Bun_G$, Donaldson theory

$\,$

gauge theory induced via AdS5-CFT4
type II string theory
$\;\;\;\;\downarrow$ Kaluza-Klein compactification on $S^5$
$\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ topological sector
5-dimensional Chern-Simons theory
$\;\;\;\;\downarrow$ AdS5-CFT4 holographic duality
N=4 D=4 super Yang-Mills theory
$\;\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ topological twist
topologically twisted N=4 D=4 super Yang-Mills theory
$\;\;\;\; \downarrow$ KK-compactification on Riemann surface
A-model on $Bun_G$ and B-model on $Loc_G$, geometric Langlands correspondence

## References

### General

The B-model was first conceived in

An early review is in

The motivation from the point of view of string theory with an eye towards the appearance of the Calabi-Yau categories is reviewed for instance in

A summary of these two reviews is in

• H. Lee, Review of topological field theory and homological mirror symmetry (pdf)

That the B-model Lagrangian arises in AKSZ theory by gauge fixing the Poisson sigma-model was observed in

• M. Alexandrov, M. Kontsevich, A. Schwarz, O. Zaboronsky, around page 28 in The geometry of the master equation and topological quantum field theory, Int. J. Modern Phys. A 12(7):1405–1429, 1997

For survey of the literature see also

The B-model on genus-0 cobordisms had been constructed in

• S. Barannikov, Maxim Kontsevich, Frobenius manifolds and formality of Lie algebras of polyvector fields , Internat. Math. Res. Notices 1998, no. 4, 201–215; math.QA/9710032 doi

The construction of the B-model as a TCFT on cobordisms of arbitrary genus was given in