Semilocal fractional instantons

We find semi-local fractional instantons of codimension four in Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories coupled with scalar fields and the corresponding (Formula presented.) and Grassmann sigma models at strong gauge coupling. They are 1/4 BPS states in super-symmetric theories with eight supercharges, carry fractional (half) instanton charges characterized by the fourth homotopy group π₄(G/H), and have divergent energy in infinite spaces. We construct exact solutions for the sigma models and numerical solutions for the gauge theories. Small instanton singularity in sigma models is resolved at finite gauge coupling (for the Abelian gauge theory). Instantons in Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories have negative and positive instantons charges, respectively, which are related by the Seiberg-like duality that changes the sign of the instanton charge.