Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2205.05370 · Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

Method of images in defect conformal field theories

Tatsuma Nishioka, Yoshitaka Okuyama, Soichiro Shimamori

Published Oct 7, 2022• 10 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We propose a prescription for describing correlation functions in higher-dimensional defect conformal field theories (DCFTs) by those in ancillary conformal field theories (CFTs) without defects, which is a vast generalization of the image method in two-dimensional boundary CFTs. A correlation function of $n$ operators inserted away from a defect in a DCFT is represented by a correlation function of $2n$ operators in the ancillary CFT, each pair of which is placed symmetrically with respect to the defect. We establish the correspondence by matching the constraints on correlation functions imposed by conformal symmetry on both sides. Our method has the potential to shed light on new aspects of DCFTs from the viewpoint of conventional CFTs.

DOI
10.1103/physrevd.106.l081701

Related papers

Conformal constraints on defects

Abhijit Gadde

Abstract In this paper we study the constraints imposed by conformal invariance on extended objects a.k.a. defects in a conformal field theory. We identify a particularly nice class of defects that is closed under conformal transformations. Correlation function of the defect with a bulk local operator is fixed by conformal invariance up to an overall constant. This gives rise to the notion of defect expansion, where the defect itself is expanded in terms of local operators. This expansion generalizes the idea of the boundary state. We will show how one can fix the correlation function of two defects from the knowledge of the defect expansion. The defect correlator admits a number of conformal cross-ratios depending on their dimensionality. We find the differential equation obeyed by the conformal block and solve them in certain special cases.

arXiv:1602.06354•Journal of High Energy Physics•Jan 1, 2020•79 citations

Two point functions in defect CFTs

Christopher P. Herzog, Abhay Shrestha

Abstract This paper is designed to be a practical tool for constructing and investigating two-point correlation functions in defect conformal field theory, directly in physical space, between any two bulk primaries or between a bulk primary and a defect primary, with arbitrary spin. Although geometrically elegant and ultimately a more powerful approach, the embedding space formalism gets rather cumbersome when dealing with mixed symmetry tensors, especially in the projection to physical space. The results in this paper provide an alternative method for studying two-point correlation functions for a generic d-dimensional conformal field theory with a flat p-dimensional defect and d − p = q co-dimensions. We tabulate some examples of correlation functions involving a conserved current, an energy momentum tensor and a Maxwell field strength, while analysing the constraints arising from conservation and the equations of motion. A method for obtaining bulk-to-defect correlators is also explained. Some explicit examples are considered: free scalar theory on ℝp× (ℝq/ℤ2) and a free four dimensional Maxwell theory on a wedge.

arXiv:2010.04995•Journal of High Energy Physics•Apr 1, 2021•25 citations

On co-dimension two defect operators

Jiang Long

Conformal symmetry is broken by a flat or spherical defect operator $\mathcal{D}$. We show that this defect operator, may be identified as a pair of twist operators which are inserted at the tips of its causal diamond. Any $k-$point correlation function in a flat or spherical defect CFT is equivalent to a $(k+2)-$point correlation function. We reproduce one point correlation functions and also solve two point correlation functions in defect CFTs . Mutual Rényi entropy is computed and agrees with previous result in a certain limit. We conjecture there may be universal terms in general co-dimension two defect CFTs.

arXiv:1611.02485•Nov 8, 2016•8 citations

Weyl anomalies of four dimensional conformal boundaries and defects

Adam Chalabi, Christopher P. Herzog, Andy O’Bannon +2 more

Abstract Motivated by questions about quantum information and classification of quantum field theories, we consider Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) in spacetime dimension d ≥ 5 with a conformally-invariant spatial boundary (BCFTs) or 4-dimensional conformal defect (DCFTs). We determine the boundary or defect contribution to the Weyl anomaly using the standard algorithm, which includes imposing Wess-Zumino consistency and fixing finite counterterms. These boundary/defect contributions are built from the intrinsic and extrinsic curvatures, as well as the pullback of the ambient CFT’s Weyl tensor. For a co-dimension one boundary or defect (i.e. d = 5), we reproduce the 9 parity-even terms found by Astaneh and Solodukhin, and we discover 3 parity-odd terms. For larger co-dimension, we find 23 parity-even terms and 6 parity-odd terms. The coefficient of each term defines a “central charge” that characterizes the BCFT or DCFT. We show how several of the parity-even central charges enter physical observables, namely the displacement operator two-point function, the stress-tensor one-point function, and the universal part of the entanglement entropy. We compute several parity-even central charges in tractable examples: monodromy and conical defects of free, massless scalars and Dirac fermions in d = 6; probe branes in Anti-de Sitter (AdS) space dual to defects in CFTs with d ≥ 6; and Takayanagi’s AdS/BCFT with d = 5. We demonstrate that several of our examples obey the boundary/defect a-theorem, as expected.

arXiv:2111.14713•Journal of High Energy Physics•Feb 1, 2022•36 citations

Conformal defects of general dimensions at finite temperature

Yucheng Li, Haruki Nakayama, 辰磨 西岡

We consider defect conformal field theories (DCFTs) at finite temperature, where a $p$-dimensional conformal defect wraps the thermal circle. Extending the previous study of line defects to defects of general dimensions, we determine the general forms of the thermal one-point functions of bulk scalars, conserved currents and the stress tensor by imposing the residual symmetry and the conservation laws. The low temperature expansion of the thermal one-point functions is shown to be reproduced by the bulk-defect operator expansion, allowing us to read off the thermal one-point coefficients of defect operators. We examine the general results in four classes of examples with free bulk theories: the trivial defect, free scalar and fermion theories with a boundary, the free scalar theory with a localized $ϕ$ deformation in $d=2\,p+2$ dimensions and the free $\mathrm{O}(N)$ model with a localized $ϕ^2$ deformation in $d=p+2-ε$ dimensions. In the last example with $ε= 1$, where the defect becomes an interface, we find that the thermal one-point functions coincide with those of the free scalar theory with the Dirichlet boundary condition, in accordance with the conjectured factorization of an interface CFT into two decoupled boundary CFTs.

arXiv:2609.12720•Sep 11, 2026•0 citations

Defects in Higher-Dimensional Quantum Field Theory

Schmidt, Robert

The present work is addressed to defects and boundaries in quantum field theory considering the application to AdS/CFT correspondence. We examine interactions of fermions with spins localised on these boundaries. Therefore, an algebra method is emphasised adding reflection and transmission terms to the canonical quantisation prescription. This method has already been applied to bosons in two space-time dimensions before. We show the possibilities of such reflection-transmission algebras in two, three, and four dimensions. We compare with models of solid state physics as well as with the conformal field theory approach to the Kondo effect.

•Jan 1, 2007•0 citations
We propose a prescription for describing correlation functions in higher-dimensional defect conformal field theories (DCFTs) by those in ancillary conformal field theories (CFTs) without defects, which is a vast generalization of the image method in two-dimensional boundary CFTs. A correlation function of nnn operators inserted away from a defect in a DCFT is represented by a correlation function of 2n2n2n operators in the ancillary CFT, each pair of which is placed symmetrically with respect to the defect. We establish the correspondence by matching the constraints on correlation functions imposed by conformal symmetry on both sides. Our method has the potential to shed light on new aspects of DCFTs from the viewpoint of conventional CFTs.
Abstract In this paper we study the constraints imposed by conformal invariance on extended objects a.k.a. defects in a conformal field theory. We identify a particularly nice class of defects that is closed under conformal transformations. Correlation function of the defect with a bulk local operator is fixed by conformal invariance up to an overall constant. This gives rise to the notion of defect expansion, where the defect itself is expanded in terms of local operators. This expansion generalizes the idea of the boundary state. We will show how one can fix the correlation function of two defects from the knowledge of the defect expansion. The defect correlator admits a number of conformal cross-ratios depending on their dimensionality. We find the differential equation obeyed by the conformal block and solve them in certain special cases.
Abstract This paper is designed to be a practical tool for constructing and investigating two-point correlation functions in defect conformal field theory, directly in physical space, between any two bulk primaries or between a bulk primary and a defect primary, with arbitrary spin. Although geometrically elegant and ultimately a more powerful approach, the embedding space formalism gets rather cumbersome when dealing with mixed symmetry tensors, especially in the projection to physical space. The results in this paper provide an alternative method for studying two-point correlation functions for a generic d-dimensional conformal field theory with a flat p-dimensional defect and d − p = q co-dimensions. We tabulate some examples of correlation functions involving a conserved current, an energy momentum tensor and a Maxwell field strength, while analysing the constraints arising from conservation and the equations of motion. A method for obtaining bulk-to-defect correlators is also explained. Some explicit examples are considered: free scalar theory on ℝp× (ℝq/ℤ2) and a free four dimensional Maxwell theory on a wedge.
Conformal symmetry is broken by a flat or spherical defect operator D\mathcal{D}D. We show that this defect operator, may be identified as a pair of twist operators which are inserted at the tips of its causal diamond. Any k−k-k−point correlation function in a flat or spherical defect CFT is equivalent to a (k+2)−(k+2)-(k+2)−point correlation function. We reproduce one point correlation functions and also solve two point correlation functions in defect CFTs . Mutual Rényi entropy is computed and agrees with previous result in a certain limit. We conjecture there may be universal terms in general co-dimension two defect CFTs.
Abstract Motivated by questions about quantum information and classification of quantum field theories, we consider Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) in spacetime dimension d ≥ 5 with a conformally-invariant spatial boundary (BCFTs) or 4-dimensional conformal defect (DCFTs). We determine the boundary or defect contribution to the Weyl anomaly using the standard algorithm, which includes imposing Wess-Zumino consistency and fixing finite counterterms. These boundary/defect contributions are built from the intrinsic and extrinsic curvatures, as well as the pullback of the ambient CFT’s Weyl tensor. For a co-dimension one boundary or defect (i.e. d = 5), we reproduce the 9 parity-even terms found by Astaneh and Solodukhin, and we discover 3 parity-odd terms. For larger co-dimension, we find 23 parity-even terms and 6 parity-odd terms. The coefficient of each term defines a “central charge” that characterizes the BCFT or DCFT. We show how several of the parity-even central charges enter physical observables, namely the displacement operator two-point function, the stress-tensor one-point function, and the universal part of the entanglement entropy. We compute several parity-even central charges in tractable examples: monodromy and conical defects of free, massless scalars and Dirac fermions in d = 6; probe branes in Anti-de Sitter (AdS) space dual to defects in CFTs with d ≥ 6; and Takayanagi’s AdS/BCFT with d = 5. We demonstrate that several of our examples obey the boundary/defect a-theorem, as expected.
We consider defect conformal field theories (DCFTs) at finite temperature, where a ppp-dimensional conformal defect wraps the thermal circle. Extending the previous study of line defects to defects of general dimensions, we determine the general forms of the thermal one-point functions of bulk scalars, conserved currents and the stress tensor by imposing the residual symmetry and the conservation laws. The low temperature expansion of the thermal one-point functions is shown to be reproduced by the bulk-defect operator expansion, allowing us to read off the thermal one-point coefficients of defect operators. We examine the general results in four classes of examples with free bulk theories: the trivial defect, free scalar and fermion theories with a boundary, the free scalar theory with a localized ϕϕϕ deformation in d=2 p+2d=2\,p+2d=2p+2 dimensions and the free O(N)\mathrm{O}(N)O(N) model with a localized ϕ2ϕ^2ϕ2 deformation in d=p+2−εd=p+2-εd=p+2−ε dimensions. In the last example with ε=1ε= 1ε=1, where the defect becomes an interface, we find that the thermal one-point functions coincide with those of the free scalar theory with the Dirichlet boundary condition, in accordance with the conjectured factorization of an interface CFT into two decoupled boundary CFTs.
The present work is addressed to defects and boundaries in quantum field theory considering the application to AdS/CFT correspondence. We examine interactions of fermions with spins localised on these boundaries. Therefore, an algebra method is emphasised adding reflection and transmission terms to the canonical quantisation prescription. This method has already been applied to bosons in two space-time dimensions before. We show the possibilities of such reflection-transmission algebras in two, three, and four dimensions. We compare with models of solid state physics as well as with the conformal field theory approach to the Kondo effect.