INVITED SPEAKERS: Vasilis Niarchos (Durham University) Deconstruction of 4d QFTs from 3d QFTs Abstract: I will discuss aspects of dimensional deconstruction of 4d supersymmetric QFTs from 3d supersymmetric QFTs. Special emphasis will be given to the deconstruction of exact partition functions with or without defects.
Costis Papageorgakis (Queen Mary University of London) Exact dimensional deconstruction of the 6D (2,0) theory Abstract: The 6D (2,0) SCFT is a very important yet still poorly understood theory. After an extensive introduction to its properties, connection to string/M-theory and associated difficulties, we will focus on an indirect method of studying it from 4D, called dimensional deconstruction. In particular, we will illustrate how this method can be applied at the level of partition functions to produce exact (non-perturbative) results for the (2,0) theory. This "exact deconstruction" can be extended to any pair of theories related by dimensional deconstruction.
Wolfger Peelaers (Oxford University) VOAs and rank-two instanton SCFTs Abstract: The SCFT/VOA correspondence states that every four-dimensional superconformal field theory (SCFT) can be mapped to a vertex operator algebra (VOA), which repackages in a tightly constrained structure an infinite amount of protected conformal data. Recently, it has become clear that the Higgs branch of vacua plays a prominent role in this correspondence: the vertex operator algebra can be given a free-field realization directly mimicking the effective field theory description of the theory in a Higgs vacuum. In this talk, after briefly reviewing the correspondence, I will apply these novel ideas pertaining to Higgsing to rank-two instanton SCFTs.
