Large N Superconformal Gauge Theories and Supergravity Orientifolds

TL;DR

We analyze 8-supersymmetric SCFTs realized on D3-branes in D7/orientifold backgrounds at constant coupling in F-theory, using Maldacena duality to study perturbations by marginal and relevant operators via the gravity side. The dual description is type IIB supergravity on $AdS_5 \times S^5 / Z_n$, and the KK spectrum is projected by the orientifold to yield invariant boundary operators with protected dimensions linked by $m^2 = (\Delta+p)(\Delta+p-d)$ and the chiral-primary condition $\Delta = \frac{1}{2}(R+2J)$. For the $Z_2$ case the spectrum matches the known Sp$(2N)$ field theory, while the $Z_3$, $Z_4$, and $Z_6$ cases provide non-perturbative fixed points with exceptional global symmetry $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$ and predict Coulomb-branch operator dimensions $\Delta=3,4,6$ respectively. These results illustrate how AdS/CFT yields concrete, exact information about non-perturbative gauge theories arising from F-theory orientifolds and guide the understanding of their marginal and relevant deformations.

Abstract

Maldacena's duality between conformal field theories and supergravity is applied to some conformal invariant models with 8 supercharges appearing in the F-theory moduli space on a locus of constant coupling. This includes Sp(2N) gauge theories describing the worldvolume dynamics of D3-branes in the presence of D7-branes and an orientifold plane. Other examples of this kind are models with exceptional global symmetries which have no perturbative field theory description. In all these cases the duality is used to describe perturbations by primary marginal and relevant operators.