Defect CFT techniques in the 6d N = (2,0) theory

Surface operators are among the most important observables of the 6d N = (2, 0) theory. Here we apply the tools of defect CFT to study local operator insertions into the 1/2-BPS plane. We first relate the 2-point function of the displacement operator to the expectation value of the bulk stress tensor and translate this relation into a constraint on the anomaly coefficients associated with the defect. Secondly, we study the defect operator expansion of the stress tensor multiplet and identify several new operators of the defect CFT. Technical results derived along the way include the explicit supersymmetry tranformations of the stress tensor multiplet and the classification of unitary representations of the superconformal algebra preserved by the defect.

Automated summary

The article investigates the relation between the 2-point function of the displacement operator and the expectation value of the bulk stress tensor, translating it into a constraint on the anomaly coefficients associated with the defect. It also studies the defect operator expansion of the stress tensor multiplet and identifies several new operators of the defect CFT along the way. Some technical results derived include the explicit supersymmetry transformations of the stress tensor multiplet and the classification of unitary representations of the superconformal algebra preserved by the defect.