D3 Brane(s) in AdS_5 x S^5 and N =4,2,1 SYM

TL;DR

This paper explores how D3 brane configurations in AdS_5 x S^5 relate to various supersymmetry-breaking states in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory, extending the Higgs vev correspondence to less supersymmetric cases.

Contribution

It generalizes the D3 brane and Higgs vev correspondence to configurations with reduced supersymmetry, revealing new BPS states and their SYM duals.

Findings

Single D3 branes can break supersymmetry to 1/4 or 1/8.

Corresponding SYM states have reduced superconformal symmetry (N=2 or N=1).

Identified new BPS D3-brane configurations preserving 1/8 supersymmetry.

Abstract

Recently, Douglas and Taylor proposed to identify the Higgs vev of the Coulomb branch of the 4 dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory with the positions of D3 branes in the AdS_5 x S^5 string theory. We extend this identification to more general configurations that preserve less supersymmetry. We show that a single D3 brane in AdS_5 x S^5 string theory can break the spacetime supersymmetry to 1/4 or even 1/8. Such configurations, interpretated as backgrounds of the SYM, also break the N=4 superconformal symmetry of SYM to 1/4 or 1/8, giving N=2 or N=1. We discuss the implications of this correspondence. We also present other BPS D3-brane configurations that preserve 1/8 supersymmetry corresponding to N=1 on the SYM side.