Related papers: Surface defects and instanton partition functions

We further explore the correspondence between N=2 supersymmetric SU(2) gauge theory with four flavors on epsilon-deformed backgrounds and conformal field theory, with an emphasis on the epsilon-expansion of the partition function natural…

The partition function of four-dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories on S^4 computes the exact Kahler potential on the space of exactly marginal couplings [1]. We present a new elementary proof of this result using supersymmetry…

We analyze supersymmetry breaking by anti-self-dual flux in the deformed conifold. This theory has been argued to be a dual realization of susy breaking by antibranes. As such, one might expect it to lead to a hierarchically small breaking…

We review the role of integrability in the planar spectral problem of four-dimensional superconformal gauge theories besides N=4 SYM. The cases considered include the Leigh-Strassler marginal deformations of N=4 SYM, quiver theories which…

Superconductors exhibit unconventional electronic and magnetic properties if the Cooper pair wave function breaks additional symmetries of the normal phase. Rotational symmetries in spin- and orbital spaces, as well as discrete symmetries…

We consider conformal defect solutions in four dimensional $N=2$ gauged supergravity. These solutions are constructed as a warped product of $AdS_2\times S^1$ over an interval with non-trivial electric and magnetic fields. We show for…

Defects are common in physical systems with boundaries, impurities or extensive measurements. The interaction between bulk and defect can lead to rich physical phenomena. Defects in gapless phases of matter with conformal symmetry usually…

We provide a formalism using the $q$-Cartan matrix to compute the instanton partition function of quiver gauge theory on various manifolds. Applying this formalism to eight dimensional setups, we introduce the notion of double quiver gauge…

Non-linear sigma models with scalar fields taking values on $\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^n$ complex manifolds are addressed. In the simplest $n=1$ case, where the target manifold is the $\mathbb{S}^2$ sphere, we describe the scalar fields by means…

Quantum field theories (QFT) in the presence of defects exhibit new types of anomalies which play an important role in constraining the defect dynamics and defect renormalization group (RG) flows. Here we study surface defects and their…

We study a class of two-dimensional ${\cal N}=(0, 4)$ quiver gauge theories that flow to superconformal field theories. We find dualities for the superconformal field theories similar to the 4d ${\cal N}=2$ theories of class ${\cal S}$,…

For SCFTs with an $SU(2)$ R-symmetry, we determine the superconformal blocks that contribute to the four-point correlation function of a priori distinct half-BPS superconformal primaries as an expansion in terms of the relevant bosonic…

In this work we study particular TQFTs in three dimensions, known as Symmetry Topological Field Theories (or SymTFTs), to identify line defects of two-dimensional CFTs arising from the compactification of 6d $(2,0)$ SCFTs on 4-manifolds…

Defects in superfluid 3He, high-Tc superconductors, QCD colour superfluids and cosmic vortons can possess (anti)ferromagnetic cores, and their generalisations. In each case there is a second order parameter whose value is zero in the bulk…

We investigate S^3/Z_n partition function of N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories. A gauge theory on the orbifold has degenerate vacua specified by the holonomy. The partition function is obtained by summing up the contributions of saddle…

We discuss the geometric origin of discrete higher form symmetries of quantum field theories in terms of defect groups from geometric engineering in M-theory. The flux non-commutativity in M-theory gives rise to (mixed) 't Hooft anomalies…

We discuss invertible and non-invertible topological condensation defects arising from gauging a discrete higher-form symmetry on a higher codimensional manifold in spacetime, which we define as higher gauging. A $q$-form symmetry is called…

We propose a two-parameter family of modular invariant partition functions of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) holographically dual to pure three-dimensional gravity in anti de Sitter space. Our two parameters control the…

We derive explicit formulae to compute the $a$ and $c$ central charges of four dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories (SCFTs) directly from Coulomb branch related quantities. The formulae apply at arbitrary rank. We also…

We examine the behavior of the vortex defects, which are represented by the sine-Gordon potential, on the world-sheet when a solitonic d-5 brane is existing in the d-dimensional target space. The d-5 brane solution is obtained as an…