Non-critical string duals of N=1 quiver theories

We construct N = 1 non-critical strings in four dimensions dual to strongly coupled N = 1 quiver gauge theories in the Coulomb phase, generalizing the string duals of Argyres-Douglas superconformal fixed points in N = 2 gauge theories. They are the first examples of superstring vacua with an exact worldsheet description dual to chiral N = 1 theories. We identify the dual of the non-critical superstring using a brane setup describing the field theory in the classical limit. We analyze the spectrum of chiral operators in the strongly coupled regime and show how worldsheet instanton effects give non-perturbative information about the gauge theory. We also consider aspects of D-branes relevant for the holographic duality.