We construct the one-dimensional topological sector of $\mathcal N = 6$ ABJ(M) theory and study its relation with the mass-deformed partition function on $S^3$. Supersymmetric localization provides an exact representation of this partition function as a matrix integral, which interpolates between weak and strong coupling regimes. It has been proposed that correlation functions of dimension-one topological operators should be computed through suitable derivatives with respect to the masses, but a precise proof is still lacking. We present non-trivial evidence for this relation by computing the two-point function at twoloop, successfully matching the matrix model expansion at weak coupling and finite ranks. As a by-product we obtain the two-loop explicit expression for the central charge $c_T$ of ABJ(M) theory. Three- and four-point functions up to one-loop confirm the relation as well. Our result points towards the possibility to localize the one-dimensional topological sector of ABJ(M) and may also be useful in the bootstrap program for 3d SCFTs.
We study the partition function of the ABJ theory, which is the N=6 superconformal Chern-Simons matter theory with gauge group U(N)xU(N+M) and Chern-Simons levels (k,-k). We exactly compute the ABJ partition function on a three sphere for various k, M and N via the Fermi gas approach. By using these exact data, we show that the ABJ partition function is completely determined by the refined topological string on local P^1 x P^1, including membrane instanton effects in the M-theory dual.
The partition function on the three-sphere of ABJ theory can be rewritten into a partition function of a non-interacting Fermi gas, with an accompanying one-particle Hamiltonian. We study the spectral problem defined by this Hamiltonian. We determine the exact WKB quantization condition, which involves quantities from refined topological string theory, and test it successfully against numerical calculations of the spectrum.
In this paper we construct the $\mathcal N=6$ conformal supergravity in three dimensions from a set of Chern-Simons-like terms one for each of the graviton, gravitino, and R-symmetry gauge field and then couple this theory to the $\mathcal N=6$ superconformal ABJM theory. In a first step part of the coupled Lagrangian for this topologically gauged ABJM theory is derived by demanding that all terms of third and second order in covariant derivatives cancel in the supersymmtry variation of the Lagrangian. To achieve this the transformation rules of the two separate sectors must be augmented by ne…
It was known that the ABJM matrix model is dual to the topological string theory on a Calabi-Yau manifold. Using this relation it was possible to write down the exact instanton expansion of the partition function of the ABJM matrix model. The expression consists of a universal function constructed from the free energy of the refined topological string theory with an overall topological invariant characterizing the Calabi-Yau manifold. In this paper we explore two other superconformal Chern-Simons theories of the circular quiver type. We find that the partition function of one theory enjoys the…
It is known that the large N expansion of the partition function in ABJM theory on a three-sphere is completely determined by the topological string on local Hirzebruch surface F_0. In this note, we investigate the ABJM partition function on an ellipsoid, which has a conventional deformation parameter b. Using 3d mirror symmetry, we find a remarkable relation between the ellipsoid partition function for b^2=3 (or b^2=1/3) in ABJM theory at k=1 and a matrix model for the topological string on another Calabi-Yau threefold, known as local P^2. As in the case of b=1, we can compute the full large …
We find new exact relations between the partition function and vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of 1/2 BPS Wilson loops in ABJ theory, which allow us to predict the large N expansions of the 1/2 BPS Wilson loops from known results of the partition function. These relations are interpreted as an open-closed duality where the closed string background is shifted by the insertion of Wilson loops due to a back-reaction. Using the connection between ABJ theory and the topological string on local P1 x P1, we explicitly write down non-trivial relations between open and closed string amplitudes.
We study operator insertions into 1/2 BPS Wilson loops in N = 6 ABJM theory and investigate their two-point correlators. In this framework, the energy emitted by a heavy moving probe can be exactly obtained from some two-point coefficients of bosonic and fermionic insertions. This allows us to confirm an early proposal for computing the Bremsstrahlung function in terms of certain supersymmetric circular Wilson loops, whose value might be accessible to localization techniques. In the derivation of this result we also elucidate the structure of protected multiplets in the relevant superconformal…
We consider marginal deformations of the superconformal ABJM/ABJ models which preserve N=2 supersymmetry. We determine perturbatively the spectrum of fixed points and study their infrared stability. We find a closed line of fixed points which is IR stable. The fixed point corresponding to the ABJM/ABJ models is stable under marginal deformations which respect the original SU(2)xSU(2) invariance, while deformations which break this group destabilize the theory which then flows to a less symmetric fixed point. We discuss the addition of flavor degrees of freedom. We prove that in general a flavo…
In ABJ(M) theory a generalized cusp can be constructed out of the 1/6 BPS Wilson line by introducing an angle $φ$ in the spacial contour and/or an angle $θ$ in the internal R-symmetry space. The small angles limits of its anomalous dimension are controlled by corresponding Bremsstrahlung functions. In this note we compute the internal space $θ$-Bremsstrahlung function to four loops at weak coupling in the planar limit. Based on this result, we propose an all order conjecture for the $θ$-Bremsstrahlung function.
We compute the 1-loop partition function for strings in $AdS_4\times\mathbb{CP}^3$, whose worldsheets end along a line with small cusp angles in the boundary of AdS. We obtain these 1-loop results in terms of the vacuum energy for on-shell modes. Our results verify the proposal by Lewkowycz and Maldacena in arXiv:1312.5682 for the exact Bremsstrahlung function up to the next to leading order in the strong coupling expansion. The agreement is observed for cusps distorting either the 1/2 BPS or the 1/6 BPS Wilson line.
We study local operator insertions on 1/2-BPS line defects in ABJM theory. Specifically, we consider a class of four-point correlators in the CFT$_1$ with SU$(1, 1|3)$ superconformal symmetry defined on the 1/2-BPS Wilson line. The relevant insertions belong to the short supermultiplet containing the displacement operator and correspond to fluctuations of the dual fundamental string in AdS$_4 \times \mathbb{C}\textrm{P}^3$ ending on the line at the boundary. We use superspace techniques to represent the displacement supermultiplet and we show that superconformal symmetry determines the four-po…
In this paper we study the Bremsstrahlung functions for the 1/6 BPS and the 1/2 BPS Wilson lines in ABJM theory. First we use a superconformal defect approach to prove a conjectured relation between the Bremsstrahlung functions associated to the geometric ($B^φ_{1/6}$) and R-symmetry ($B^θ_{1/6}$) deformations of the 1/6 BPS Wilson line. This result, non-trivially following from a defect supersymmetric Ward identity, provides an exact expression for $B^θ_{1/6}$ based on a known result for $B^φ_{1/6}$. Subsequently, we explore the consequences of this relation for the 1/2 BPS Wilson line and, u…
We show that, in local Calabi-Yau manifolds, the topological open string partition function transforms as a wavefunction under modular transformations. Our derivation is based on the topological recursion for matrix models, and it generalizes in a natural way the known result for the closed topological string sector. As an application, we derive results for vevs of 1/2 BPS Wilson loops in ABJM theory at all genera in a strong coupling expansion, for various representations.
We investigate the one-dimensional defect SCFT defined on the $1/2$ BPS Wilson line/loop in ABJ(M) theory. We show that the supermatrix structure of the defect imposes a covariant supermatrix representation of the supercharges. Exploiting this covariant formulation, we prove the existence of a long multiplet whose highest weight state is a constant supermatrix operator. At weak coupling, we study this operator in perturbation theory and confirm that it acquires a non-trivial anomalous dimension. At strong coupling, we conjecture that this operator is dual to the lowest bound state of fluctuati…
We review recent progress in the study of line defects in three-dimensional Chern-Simons-matter superconformal field theories, notably the ABJM theory. The first part is focused on kinematical defects supporting a topological sector of the theory. After reviewing the construction of this sector, we concentrate on the evaluation of topological correlators from the partition function of the mass-deformed ABJM theory and provide evidence on the existence of a topological quantum mechanics living on the line. In the second part, we consider dynamical defects realized as latitude BPS Wilson loops f…
We study the partition function of the N=6 supersymmetric U(N_1)_k x U(N_2)_{-k} Chern-Simons-matter (CSM) theory, also known as the ABJ theory. For this purpose, we first compute the partition function of the U(N_1) x U(N_2) lens space matrix model exactly. The result can be expressed as a product of q-deformed Barnes G-function and a generalization of multiple q-hypergeometric function. The ABJ partition function is then obtained from the lens space partition function by analytically continuing N_2 to -N_2. The answer is given by min(N_1,N_2)-dimensional integrals and generalizes the "mirror…
We calculate fermionic Green's functions for states of the three-dimensional ABJM M2-brane theory at large N using the gauge-gravity correspondence. We embed extremal black brane solutions in four-dimensional maximally supersymmetric gauged supergravity, obtain the linearized Dirac equations for each spin-1/2 mode that cannot mix with a gravitino, and solve these equations with infalling boundary conditions to calculate retarded Green's functions. For generic values of the chemical potentials, we find Fermi surfaces with universally non-Fermi liquid behavior, matching the situation for four-di…
It was known that one-point functions in the ABJM matrix model (obtained by applying the localization technique to one-point functions of the half-BPS Wilson loop operator in the ABJM theory) satisfy the Jacobi-Trudi formula, which strongly indicates the integrable structure of the system. In this paper, we identify the integrable structure of two-point functions in the ABJM matrix model as the two-dimensional Toda lattice hierarchy. The identification implies infinitely many non-linear differential equations for the generating function of the two-point functions.
Expectation value of lightlike polygon Wilson loop is computed in the three-dimensional ABJM theory up to second-order in `t Hooft coupling in the limit of infinitely many colors and the result is critically compared with that in the four-dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. We first obtain analytic result for hexagon Wilson loop by combining Mellin-Barnes transformation, high precision numerical computation and the PSLQ algorithm. We then derive a version of operator product expansion (OPE) that reduces lightlike n-gon to a linear combination of (n-2)-gons in the soft-collinear limit of t…
We compute the quantum gravity partition function of M-theory on $AdS_4 \times X_7 $ by using localization techniques in four-dimensional gauged supergravity obtained by a consistent truncation on the Sasaki-Einstein manifold $X_{7}$. The supergravity path integral reduces to a finite dimensional integral over two collective coordinates that parametrize the localizing instanton solutions. The renormalized action of the off-shell instanton solutions depends linearly and holomorphically on the "square root" prepotential evaluated at the center of $AdS_{4}$. The partition function resembles the L…
We study n-point correlation functions for chiral primary operators in three dimensional supersymmetric Chern-Simons matter theories. Our analysis is carried on in N=2 superspace and covers N=2,3 supersymmetric CFT's, the N=6 ABJM and the N=8 BLG models. In the limit where the positions of adjacent operators become light-like, we find that the one-loop n-point correlator divided by its tree level expression coincides with a light-like n-polygon Wilson loop. Remarkably, the result can be simply expressed as a linear combination of five dimensional two-mass easy boxes. We manage to evaluate the …
In the light of $ϕ$-mapping method and topological current theory, the topological structure and the topological quantization of topological linear defects are obtained under the condition that the Jacobian $J(ϕ/v) \neq 0$. When $J(ϕ/v) = 0$, it is shown that there exist the crucial case of branch process. Based on the implicit function theorem and the Taylor expansion, the origin and bifurcation of the linear defects are detailed in the neighborhoods of the limit points and bifurcation points of $ϕ$-mapping, respectively.
We give some remarks on twisted determinant line bundles and Chern-Simons topological invariants associated with real hyperbolic manifolds. Index of a twisted Dirac operator is derived. We discuss briefly application of obtained results in topological quantum field theory.
We consider the broken phase of the n-vector model in n+1 dimensions with boundary conditions enforcing the presence of topological defect lines (Ising domain walls, XY vortex lines, and so on), and use field theory to argue an exact expression for the order parameter.
We show that the zeroth cohomology of effective line bundles on del Pezzo and Hirzebruch surfaces can always be computed in terms of a topological index.
We show a holographic model of a strongly coupled topological nodal line semimetal (NLSM) and find that the NLSM phase could go through a quantum phase transition to a topologically trivial state. The dual fermion spectral function shows that there are multiple Fermi surfaces each of which is a closed nodal loop in the NLSM phase. The topological structure in the bulk is induced by the IR interplay between the dual mass operator and the operator that deforms the topology of the Fermi surface. We propose a practical framework for building various strongly coupled topological semimetals in holog…
