No abstract

We construct new large classes of BPS Wilson hyperloops in three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 quiver Chern-Simons-matter theory on S3. The main strategy is to start with the 1/2 BPS Wilson loop of this theory, choose any linear combination of the supercharges it preserves, and look for deformations built out of the matter fields that still preserve that supercharge. This is a powerful generalization of a recently developed approach based on deformations of 1/4 and 1/8 BPS bosonic loops, which itself was far more effective at discovering new operators than older methods relying on complicated ansätze. We discover many new moduli spaces of BPS hyperloops preserving varied numbers of supersymmetries and varied subsets of the symmetries of the 1/2 BPS operator. In particular, we find new bosonic operators preserving 2 or 3 supercharges as well as new families of loops that do not share supercharges with any bosonic loops, including subclasses of both 1/8 and 1/4 BPS loops that are conformal.

In this paper we complete the exploration of connected components of the space of BPS Wilson loops in three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 Chern-Simons-matter theory on S3. The algorithm is to start with a supersymmetric Wilson loop, choose a preserved supercharge, and look for BPS deformations built out of the matter fields in the proper representations. Using this, we discover many new moduli spaces of nonconformal BPS Wilson loops preserving a single or two supercharges, which are subsets of the symmetries of the 1/4 and 3/8 BPS operators. Along with the those previously found in [1, 2] and [3], the total moduli spaces are closed under this formalism.

We address a longstanding question of whether ABJM theory has Wilson loop operators preserving eight supercharges (so 1/3 BPS). We present such Wilson loops made of a large supermatrix combining two 1/2 BPS Wilson loops. We study the spectrum of operator insertions into them including the displacement operator and several others and study their correlation functions. Another natural construction arising in this context are Wilson loops with alternating superconnections. This amounts to including “defect changing operators” along the loop, similar to a discrete cusp. This insertion is topological and preserves two supercharges. We study the multiplet of this operator and how it can be used to introduce further operators. We also construct the defect conformal manifold arising from marginal defect operators.

We study the possible BPS Wilson loops in three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 Chern-Simons-matter theory which involve only the gauge field and bilinears of the scalars. Previously known examples are the analogues of the Gaiotto-Yin loops preserving four supercharges and “latitude” loops preserving two. We carry out a careful classification and find, in addition, loops preserving three supercharges, further inequivalent classes of loops preserving two supercharges and loops preserving a single supercharge. For each of the classes of loops, we present a representative example and analyse their full orbit under the broken symmetries.