Monodromy defects in charge-conjugation-symmetric Chern-Simons theory are labeled by twisted affine representations, realize a Z2-crossed category, and are holographically dual to orientifolds of the resolved conifold plus branes.
Monodromy Defects from Hyperbolic Space
5 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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abstract
We study monodromy defects in $O(N)$ symmetric scalar field theories in $d$ dimensions. After a Weyl transformation, a monodromy defect may be described by placing the theory on $S^1\times H^{d-1}$, where $H^{d-1}$ is the hyperbolic space, and imposing on the fundamental fields a twisted periodicity condition along $S^1$. In this description, the codimension two defect lies at the boundary of $H^{d-1}$. We first study the general monodromy defect in the free field theory, and then develop the large $N$ expansion of the defect in the interacting theory, focusing for simplicity on the case of $N$ complex fields with a one-parameter monodromy condition. We also use the $\epsilon$-expansion in $d=4-\epsilon$, providing a check on the large $N$ approach. When the defect has spherical geometry, its expectation value is a meaningful quantity, and it may be obtained by computing the free energy of the twisted theory on $S^1\times H^{d-1}$. It was conjectured that the logarithm of the defect expectation value, suitably multiplied by a dimension dependent sine factor, should decrease under a defect RG flow. We check this conjecture in our examples, both in the free and interacting case, by considering a defect RG flow that corresponds to imposing alternate boundary conditions on one of the low-lying Kaluza-Klein modes on $H^{d-1}$. We also show that, adapting standard techniques from the AdS/CFT literature, the $S^1\times H^{d-1}$ setup is well suited to the calculation of the defect CFT data, and we discuss various examples, including one-point functions of bulk operators, scaling dimensions of defect operators, and four-point functions of operator insertions on the defect.
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Crosscap defects are introduced in CFTs via Z2 quotients, with crossing equations derived and CFT data computed in the O(N) model at Gaussian and Wilson-Fisher points showing absent displacement and tilt operators for generic p.
Anomaly inflow on monodromy defects in anomalous symmetry theories defines them as domain walls inducing topological order, yielding protected chiral edge modes and adiabatic pumping of gapless degrees of freedom, verified in chiral symmetry examples on continuum and lattice.
Monodromy defects in Maxwell theory are analyzed via mapping to hyperbolic space, recovering the defect primary spectrum and showing that Wilson/'t Hooft lines terminate on defects, become decomposable, and follow Chern-Simons topological behavior.
A dissertation synthesizing universal aspects of defect dynamics in QFT through symmetry principles across defect RG flows, effective strings, and quantum gas impurities.
citing papers explorer
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Monodromy defects in Chern-Simons theory and Holography
Monodromy defects in charge-conjugation-symmetric Chern-Simons theory are labeled by twisted affine representations, realize a Z2-crossed category, and are holographically dual to orientifolds of the resolved conifold plus branes.
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Crosscap Defects
Crosscap defects are introduced in CFTs via Z2 quotients, with crossing equations derived and CFT data computed in the O(N) model at Gaussian and Wilson-Fisher points showing absent displacement and tilt operators for generic p.
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When Symmetries Twist: Anomaly Inflow on Monodromy Defects
Anomaly inflow on monodromy defects in anomalous symmetry theories defines them as domain walls inducing topological order, yielding protected chiral edge modes and adiabatic pumping of gapless degrees of freedom, verified in chiral symmetry examples on continuum and lattice.
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Monodromy Defects for Electric-Magnetic Duality, Hyperbolic Space, and Lines
Monodromy defects in Maxwell theory are analyzed via mapping to hyperbolic space, recovering the defect primary spectrum and showing that Wilson/'t Hooft lines terminate on defects, become decomposable, and follow Chern-Simons topological behavior.
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Universalities of Defects in Quantum Field Theories
A dissertation synthesizing universal aspects of defect dynamics in QFT through symmetry principles across defect RG flows, effective strings, and quantum gas impurities.