Wilson loops as defects in N=2 conformal field theories

TL;DR

This paper studies Wilson loops as line defects in four-dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories, computing various observables using supersymmetric localization and perturbative methods.

Contribution

It provides explicit calculations of Wilson loop expectation values and correlators in N=2 SCFTs, combining localization techniques with perturbative checks up to four loops.

Findings

Wilson loop expectation values computed via localization.

Correlation functions with chiral operators analyzed.

Perturbative results up to four loops confirm localization predictions.

Abstract

In this thesis we consider four dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories, in presence of line defects such as Wilson loops. In this set up, using supersymmetric localization, we compute many observables, such as the vacuum expectation value of the Wilson loop, correlation functions with chiral operators and the emitted radiation of the charged particle moving along the Wilson loop trajectory. These results are achieved by exploiting the localized matrix model on a four sphere, and checked against a perturbative computation on the flat space in N=1 superspace formalism, up to four loops in perturbation theory.