Two-loop $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 SQCD amplitudes with external matter from iterated cuts

Abstract

Abstract We develop an iterative method for constructing four-dimensional generalized unitarity cuts in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills (SYM) theory coupled to fundamental matter hypermultiplets ( $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 SQCD). For iterated two-particle cuts, specifically those involving only four-point amplitudes, this implies simple diagrammatic rules for assembling the cuts to any loop order, reminiscent of the rung rule in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM. By identifying physical poles, the construction simplifies the task of extracting complete integrands. In combination with the duality between color and kinematics we construct all four-point massless MHV-sector scattering amplitudes up to two loops in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 SQCD, including those with matter on external legs. Our results reveal chiral infrared-finite integrands closely related to those found using loop-level BCFW recursion. The integrands are valid in D ≤ 6 dimensions with external states in a four-dimensional subspace; the upper bound is dictated by our use of six-dimensional chiral N = (1, 0) SYM as a means of dimensionally regulating loop integrals.