From Exact Results to Gauge Dynamics on $\mathbb{R}^3\times S^1$

Abstract: We revisit the vacuum structure of the $\mathcal{N}=1$ Intriligator-Seiberg-Shenker model on $\mathbb{R}^3\times S<sup>1$. Guided by the Cardy-like asymptotics of its Romelsberger index, and building on earlier semi-classical results by Poppitz and \"{U}nsal, we argue that previously overlooked non-perturbative effects generate a Higgs-type potential on the classical Coulomb branch of the low-energy effective 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ theory. In particular, on part of the Coulomb branch we encounter the first instance of a dynamically-generated quintic monopole superpotential.