Topological Strings

and
Knot Homologies

Sergei Gukov
 Outline
Introduction to Topological String
Theory

Relation to Knot Homologies

based on: S.G., A.Schwarz, C.Vafa, hep-th/0412243
N.Dunfield, S.G., J.Rasmussen, math.GT/0505662
S.G., J.Walcher, hep-th/0512298

joint work with E.Witten

 Perturbative Topological String
X Calabi-Yau 3-fold

map from a Riemann surface to Calabi-Yau

3-fold X is characterized by
genus g of

 Perturbative Topological String
Topological string partition function:

A-model:

Kahler moduli

number of holomorphic
maps of genus g curves to X
which land in class
 Perturbative Topological String
B-model:

symplectic basis of 3-cycles

holomorphic Ray-Singer torsion

 Holomorphic Anomaly
[M.Bershadsky, S.Cecotti, H.Ooguri, C.Vafa]

(determines up to holomorphic ambiguity)

Wave Function Interpretation
[E.Witten]
quantization of

symplectic structure

Wave Function

depends on
(choice of polarization)
Mirror Symmetry
 Applications
Physical Applications
compute F-terms in string theory on X
Black Hole physics [H.Ooguri, A.Strominger, C.Vafa],
dynamics of SUSY gauge theory [R.Dijkgraaf, C.Vafa],
Mathematical Applications
Enumerative geometry
Homological algebra
Low-dimensional topology
Representation theory
Gauge theory
 D-branes

Open topological strings

A-model: Lagrangian submanifolds in X

(+ coisotropic branes)

B-model: Holomorphic cycles in X

 Open String Field Theory
N D-branes [E.Witten]

A-model: U(N) Chern-Simons gauge theory

B-model: 6d: holomorphic Chern-Simons

[R.Dijkgraaf, C.Vafa]

2d: BF theory 0d: Matrix Model

 Homological Mirror Symmetry
A-branes: objects in the Fukaya category

Fuk (X)
B-branes: objects in the derived category
of coherent sheaves

homological mirror symmetry: [M.Kontsevich]

Fuk (X)
 Matrix Factorizations
B-branes at Landau-Ginzburg point are described
by matrix factorizations

Topological Landau-Ginzburg model with

superpotential W

CY-LG correspondence:
MF (W)
Large N Duality
[R.Gopakumar, C.Vafa]
 Large N Duality
[R.Gopakumar, C.Vafa]

N D-branes

U(N) Chern-Simons Closed topological

theory on string on resolved
conifold
 Counting BPS states: 5d
[R.Gopakumar, C.Vafa]

M-theory on

M2-brane on

number of BPS states with charge and spin g

Example (conifold):
 Counting BPS states: 4d
[H.Ooguri, A.Strominger, C.Vafa]
Type II string theory on X

number of BPS states of 4d black hole with

electric charge q and magnetic charge p

evaluated at , the attractor value

 Open Closed

3d Chern-Simons Gromov-Witten
A-model
theory theory

holomorphic Chern-
Simons theory Kodaira-Spencer
B-model
theory
Matrix model
 Computing
non-compact
compact
(toric)
small g
holomorphic anomaly
(ambiguity)
(in practice
relative Gromov-Witten
only small g)

large N duality ?

partial results
heterotic/type IIA duality
for all g
gauge theory ?
 Gromov-Witten Invariants via
Gauge Theory
X symplectic 4-manifold [C.Taubes]

topological twist of
N=2 abelian gauge
theory with a
hypermultiplet
 Gromov-Witten Invariants via
Gauge Theory
[D.Maulik, N.Nekrasov, A.Okounkov, R.Pandharipande]

X Calabi-Yau 3-fold

topological twist of abelian

gauge theory in six dimensions:
localizes on singular U(1)
instantons (ideal sheaves)
 Enumerative Invariants
Rational Integer Refinement
(maps) (gauge theory,
embeddings)

Closed
GW DT/GV
Equivariant
(stable maps) (ideal sheaves)

Open
open GW
Knot
(relative BPS invariants
Homologies
stable maps)
 Polynomial Knot Invariants
In Chern-Simons theory
[E.Witten]
Wilson loop operator

polynomial in q

Quantum groups & R-matrix

 Polynomial Knot Invariants
Jones polynomial:

unknot

Example:
 Polynomial Knot Invariants
Quantum sl(N) invariant:

unknot
 Polynomial Knot Invariants
HOMFLY polynomial:

unknot
 Polynomial Knot Invariants
HOMFLY polynomial:

unknot

Example:
 Polynomial Knot Invariants
Alexander polynomial:

unknot

Example:
 Question (M.Atiyah):
Why integer coefficients?
 Categorification
categorification categorification
Number Vector Space Category
dimension Grothendieck group
 Categorification
categorification categorification
Number Vector Space Category
dimension Grothendieck group

Example:
Category of
N! branes on the
flag variety
 Categorification
categorification categorification
Number Vector Space Category
dimension Grothendieck group

Knot homology

Euler characteristic = polynomial knot invariant

 Knot Homologies
Knot Floer homology: [P.Ozsvath, Z.Szabo]
[J.Rasmussen]

Example:
 Knot Homologies
Khovanov homology:

[M.Khovanov]

Example:
i
3
2
1
0
1 3 5 7 9 j
 Knot Homologies
sl(N) knot homology:

N=3: foams (web cobordisms) [M.Khovanov]

N>2: matrix factorizations [M.Khovanov, L.Rozansky]

 A general picture of knot homologies

G Knot Polynomial Knot Homology

U(1|1) Alexander knot Floer homology .

SU(1) Lees deformed theory .

SU(2) Jones Khovanov homology .

SU(N) sl(N) homology .

sl(N) knot homology
is a functor (from knots and cobordisms to
bigraded abelian groups and homomorphisms)

is stronger than

is hard to compute (only sl(2) up to

crossings)

cries out for a physical interpretation!

 Physical Interpretation
[S.G., A.Schwarz, C.Vafa]
space of BPS states

M-theory on (conifold)

M5-brane on Lagrangian
Earlier work:
[H.Ooguri, C.Vafa]
[J.Labastida, M.Marino, C.Vafa]

BPS state:
membrane ending on the Lagrangian five-brane
 Surprisingly, this physical interpretation leads
to a rich theory, which unifies all the existing
knot homologies [N.Dunfield, S.G., J.Rasmussen]

graded by , , and membrane

charge
 Families of Differentials
differentials

cohomology
sl(N) knot homology N>2
Lees theory N=1
knot Floer homology N=0
 Matrix Factorizations,
Deformations, and Differentials
 a

Non-zero differentials for the trefoil knot.

Differentials for 8 19 . The bottom row of dots
has a-grading 6. The leftmost dot on that row
has q-grading -6.
Differentials for 10 153. The bottom row of dots
has a-grading -2.
 Whats Next?
Generalization to other groups and
representations [S.G., J.Walcher]

The role of matrix factorizations

Finite N (stringy exclusion principle)
Realization in topological gauge theory

Boundaries, corners,
Surface operators
Braid group actions on D-branes
 Gauge Theory and Categorification

gauge theory on number Z(X)

a 4-manifold X (partition function)
 Gauge Theory and Categorification

gauge theory on number Z(X)

a 4-manifold X (partition function)

gauge theory on vector space

= 3-manifold (Hilbert space)
 Gauge Theory and Categorification

gauge theory on number Z(X)

a 4-manifold X (partition function)

gauge theory on vector space

= 3-manifold (Hilbert space)

gauge theory on category of branes

= surface (boundary conditions)
gauge theory on X
self-duality equations: Z(X) counts solutions

+=0

gauge theory on =H( )

monopole equations:
= moduli space
FA + MM + = 0

gauge theory on topological A-model/B-model

vortex equations: Fuk
+=0 = b
D
 Gauge Theory with Boundaries
In three-dimensional topological gauge theory:

vector vector
vector space
ZY1
ZY 2
 Gauge Theory with Boundaries
In three-dimensional topological gauge theory:

vector vector
vector space
ZY1
ZY
2

ZY = ZY ZY
1 2
 Gauge Theory with Corners
In four-dimensional topological gauge theory:

time
corner

brane brane
category of
Y1
branes on Y2
 Gauge Theory with Corners
In four-dimensional topological gauge theory:

time

brane brane
category of
Y1
branes on Y2

= HF *
symp
A-model:
Y1 Y2

(Atiyah-Floer conjecture)
 From Lines to Surfaces

A line operator lifts to an operator in 4D gauge theory

localized on the surface S = where the gauge
field A has a prescribed singularity

Hol (A) C fixed conjugacy class in G

 Braid Group Actions on D-branes

Any four-dimensional topological gauge theory which

admits supersymmetric surface operators provides
(new) examples of braid group actions on D-branes

Example: topological twist (GL twist) of N=4 super-

Yang-Mills on with 4 surface operators

=
Moduli space:
= complex surface with three singularities

=
a-brane corresponds to the static configuration of
surface operators below (time direction not shown)
s(a)-brane corresponds to the static configuration
of surface operators with a half-twist
 3
s (a)-brane corresponds to the static configuration
of surface operators with three half-twists
 3
Closing the braid gives = space of a - s (a) strings
= Casson-like invariant for knots
Topological Twists of SUSY Gauge Theory

N=2 twisted gauge theory:

= D (q) Alexander polynomial

N=4 twisted SYM (adjoint non-Abelian monopoles):

doubly-graded knot homology

Partial twist of 5D super-Yang-Mills:

= ZVafa-Witten =H( instanton
)