Aspects of monopole operators in N=6 Chern-Simons theory

TL;DR

This paper investigates monopole operators in N=6 Chern-Simons theory, using perturbation theory in 1/k and superconformal index calculations to understand their interactions and match with localization results.

Contribution

It introduces a perturbative approach in 1/k for monopole interactions and confirms superconformal index calculations align with localization results.

Findings

Superconformal index matches localization results

Monopole and matter field excitations mix via self-duality equations

Perturbation theory in 1/k reliably describes small excitations

Abstract

We study local operators of U(N)xU(N) N=6 Chern-Simons-matter theory including a class of magnetic monopole operators. To take into account the interaction of monopoles and basic fields for large Chern-Simons level k, we consider the appropriate perturbation theory in 1/k which reliably describes small excitations around protected chiral operators. We also compute the superconformal index with some simple monopole operators and show that it agrees with the recent result obtained from localization. For this agreement, it is crucial that excitations of gauge fields and some matter scalars mix, which is described classically by odd dimensional self-duality like equations.