A tale of N cones

Abstract

Abstract We study particular families of bad 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 quiver gauge theories, whose Higgs branches consist of many cones. We show the role of a novel brane configuration in realizing the Higgs moduli for each distinct cone. Through brane constructions, magnetic quivers, Hasse diagrams, and Hilbert series computations we study the intricate structure of the classical Higgs branches. These Higgs branches are both non-normal (since they consist of multiple cones) and non-reduced (due to the presence of nilpotent operators in the chiral ring). Applying the principle of inversion to the classical Higgs branch Hasse diagrams, we conjecture the quantum Coulomb branch Hasse diagrams. These Coulomb branches have several most singular loci, corresponding to the several cones in the Higgs branch. We propose the Hasse diagrams of the full quantum moduli spaces of our theories. The quivers we study can be taken to be 5d effective gauge theories living on brane webs. Their infinite coupling theories have Higgs branches which also consist of multiple cones. Some of these cones have decorated magnetic quivers, whose 3d Coulomb branches remain elusive.