Aspects of confinement and screening in M-theory

Confinement and screening are investigated in SUSY gauge theories, realized by an M5-brane configuration, extending an approach applied previously to N = 1 SYM theory, to other models. The electric flux tubes are identified a s M2-branes ending on the M5-branes and the conserved charge they carry is identified as a topological property. The group of charges carried by the f lux tubes is calculated and the results agree in all cases considered with the held-theoretical expectations. In particular, whenever the dynamical ma tter is expected to screen the confining force, this is reproduced correctl y in the M-theory realization. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.