Topological field theories, Nicolai maps and BRST quantization

Abstract

Abstract We establish a connection between topological field theories, Nicolai maps, BRST quantization and Langevin equations. In particular we show that there is a one-to-one correspondence between global unbroken supersymmetric theories which admit a Nicolai map and theories which arise as the BRST quantization of the square of the Langevin equation, setting the random field to zero. As such they are topological in nature. As an example we consider the topological quantum field theory of Witten in the Labastida-Pernici form and show that it is the first example of a theory admitting a complete Nicolai map in four dimensions. We also consider the topological sigma models of Witten and show that they too arise from the BRST quantization of the square of the Langevin equation.