English

$S^3$ partition functions and Equivariant CY$_4 $/CY$_3$ correspondence from Quantum curves

High Energy Physics - Theory 2026-05-12 v2

Abstract

We study the perturbative large-NN expansion of the round three-sphere partition function in a class of M2-brane theories, including flavored SYM and ABJM theories as well as more general 3d theories admitting dual (p,q)(p,q) 5-brane web descriptions. Using the Fermi gas formalism and quantum curve techniques, we derive the Airy-function representation of the partition function and find exact agreement with predictions based on equivariant constant maps in topological string theory proposed in [1]. In particular, we provide affirmative tests of this proposal for the toric geometries C×C\mathbb{C} \times \mathcal{C} (the conifold), the cone over the Sasakian space Q1,1,1Q^{1,1,1}, and C×SPP\mathbb{C} \times \mathrm{SPP} (the suspended pinch point). Motivated by a recent conjecture in [2], we further propose a novel equivariant correspondence between distinct toric Calabi-Yau manifolds of the form CY4C×CY3\mathrm{CY}_4 \leftrightarrow \mathbb{C} \times\mathrm{CY}_3, arising from relations between the corresponding quantum curves under specific constraints. This correspondence suggests an equivariant extension and points toward a geometric origin of the topological string/spectral theory (TS/ST) correspondence, while offering new insight into the structure of the holographic duality.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2603.19159,
  title  = {$S^3$ partition functions and Equivariant CY$_4 $/CY$_3$ correspondence from Quantum curves},
  author = {Kiril Hristov and Naotaka Kubo and Yi Pang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.19159},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

73 pages, 11 figures