# nLab Higgs branch

Contents

### Context

#### Quantum field theory

functorial quantum field theory

supersymmetry

# Contents

## Idea

For N=2 D=4 super Yang-Mills theory the moduli space of vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of the theory is locally a Cartesian product between the space of moduli of the vector multiplet (the gauge field sector) and those of the hypermultiplet (the matter field sector). The former is called the Coulomb branch, and the latter the Higgs branch. These are dual to each other to it under a version of mirror symmetry .

This is the topic of Seiberg-Witten theory.

Definitions of the Coulomb and Higgs branches have been extended to N=4 D=3 super Yang-Mills theory.

## References

The terminology “Coulomb branch” and “Higgs branch” first appears in

Review and exposition:

On mirror symmetry between Higgs branches/Coulomb branches of D=3 N=4 super Yang-Mills theory (with emphasis of Hilbert schemes of points):

Last revised on August 8, 2021 at 13:54:40. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.