Massive N = 2 gauge theories at large N

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) Abstract Using exact results obtained from localization on S ^sup 4^, we explore the large N limit of ... = 2 super Yang-Mills theories with massive matter multiplets. We focus on three cases: ... = 2^sup *^ theory, describing a massive hypermultiplet in the adjoint representation, SU(N) super-Yang-Mills with 2N massive hypermultiplets in the fundamental, and super QCD with massive quarks. When the radius of the four-sphere is sent to infinity the theories at hand are described by solvable matrix models, which exhibit a number of interesting phenomena including quantum phase transitions at finite 't Hooft coupling.