Chiral Algebras, Localization and Surface Defects

Abstract

Four-dimensional N = 2 superconformal quantum field theories contain a subsector carrying the structure of a chiral algebra. Using localization techniques, we show for the free hypermultiplet that this structure can be accessed directly from the path integral on the four-sphere. We extend the localization computation to include supersymmetric surface defects described by a generic 4d/2d coupled system. The presence of a defect corresponds to considering a module of the chiral algebra: our results provide a calculational window into its structure constants.

47 pages; minor typos corrected

References in corpus (3)

• Chiral Algebras for Trinion Theories
• On Irregular Singularity Wave Functions and Superconformal Indices
• 5d Higgs Branch Localization, Seiberg-Witten Equations and Contact Geometry

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