arXiv subjects

Jesse van Muiden

Publications and source records attributed to Jesse van Muiden.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

M5 Instantons in ABJM

We study the existence of supersymmetric M5-brane instantons in asymptotically AdS$_4 \times S^7/\mathbf{Z}_k$ geometries of M-theory, dual to the ABJM theory. The supersymmetric embeddings of these instantons are determined by the M5-brane $κ$-symmetry, which forces them to localise to the equivariant fixed points in the asymptotically AdS$_4$ geometry, and wrap $(S^3\times S^3)/\mathbf{Z}_k $. At the quantum level we find that the one-loop partition function of these instantons vanishes, suggesting that the bulk partition function is instead to be expanded in terms of supergravity modes and M2-brane instantons, in line with known results for the $S^3$ partition function of the dual ABJM theory.

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arXiv2026

Holographic Ensembles in Type IIB

We study holographic ensembles in type IIB string theory on the Schur twisted AdS$_5 \times S^5$ background, and its corresponding boundary partition function: the Schur index of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM. In the supergravity limit the two natural ensembles are either at fixed flux on $S^5$, corresponding to a boundary theory at fixed rank, or its conjugate choice of fixed potential on the boundary of AdS$_5$, corresponding on the boundary to a grand canonical ensemble of theories at fixed chemical potential. Due to the self-dual nature of the five-form in type IIB supergravity the choice of ensembles is not seen in the standard bulk action, but rather by the coupling of an additional topological term. We compute the bulk partition function to one loop, including the Kaluza-Klein determinant and the measure of the ensemble-changing sum, and show that depending on the sign of this topological term it matches the perturbative boundary partition function in either the canonical or the grand canonical ensemble.

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arXiv2026

Holographic Tests of the $μ$ Ensemble

We study in detail a recent proposal stating that M-theory observables arising from the quantisation of M2-branes are naturally computed in a fixed $A_3$ ensemble. In a holographic setting this implies that in a semiclassical approximation 11d bulk observables in an asymptotically AdS$_4$ background are computed in a grand canonical ensemble of fixed chemical potential $μ$ conjugate to the integer $N$ determining the rank of the gauge group in the dual CFT. We provide detailed precision tests of holography in the fixed $μ$ ensemble by focusing on the two leading terms in the derivative expansion of the 11d theory. In addition, we study one-loop logarithmic corrections which we compute in detail. For asymptotically AdS$_4\times S^7/\mathbf{Z}_k$ 11d backgrounds our results are in agreement with supersymmetric localisation calculations in the dual ABJM SCFT. Moreover, we employ the logarithmic corrections in the $μ$ ensemble to determine the measure of the integral Laplace transform and use this to compute dual SCFT supersymmetric partition functions, like the superconformal index and the squashed $S^3$ partition function, to all orders in the perturbative $1/N$ expansion in terms of Airy functions in harmony with results and conjectures in the dual SCFT.

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arXiv2026

Quantum M2-branes and Holography

We discuss the semi-classical quantisation of supersymmetric membranes in holographic geometries with asymptotic AdS$_4$ and AdS$_7$ boundary conditions. In AdS$_4$ geometries this quantisation prompts the need of ensemble changes when comparing bulk and boundary observables arising from such membranes. We also discuss how supersymmetric membranes localise to loci where the background Killing spinor turns chiral, circumventing the need of evaluating their zero-mode moduli integrals. Finally, we discuss a bulk analysis of an infinite tower of membrane instantons, or giant gravitons, in AdS$_7$ geometries, whose worldvolume dynamics effectively reduces to a quantum mechanical system. This allows us to test, in a holographic setting, the emergence proposal that perturbative supergravity data may be extracted from towers of membrane instantons.

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arXiv2025

Extremal couplings and gluon scattering in M-theory

We consider M-theory on the backgrounds AdS$_4\times S^7/\mathbb{Z}_{N_f}$ and AdS$_7\times S^4/\mathbb{Z}_2$, which have fixed point locii AdS$_{d+1}\times S^3$ for $d=3,6$. These theories are holographically dual to certain CFTs in $d=3,6$ with eight supercharges. We compute the bulk cubic couplings between graviton KK modes and gluon KK modes living on the fixed points of these theories, which are generically extremal. We use these couplings to compute the graviton exchange term that appears in the strong coupling expansion of holographic correlators of gluon KK modes $\langle 22pp\rangle$ in these theories, and check that it matches the expected flat space limit. We express the answer in terms of a new reduced correlator solution to the superconformal Ward identities, which we derive for all CFTs with eight supercharges in $3\leq d\leq6$.

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arXiv2025

BCFT One-point Functions of Coulomb Branch Operators

We show that supersymmetry can be used to compute the BCFT one-point function coefficients for chiral primary operators, in 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ SCFTs with $\frac{1}{2}$-BPS boundary conditions. The main ingredient is the hemisphere partition function, with the boundary condition on the equatorial $S^3$. A supersymmetric Ward identity relates derivatives with respect to the chiral coupling constants to the insertion of the primaries at the pole of the hemisphere. Exact results for the one-point functions can be then obtained in terms of the localization matrix model. We discuss in detail the example of the super Maxwell theory in the bulk, interacting with 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ SCFTs on the boundary. In particular we derive the action of the SL(2,$\mathbb{Z}$) duality on the one-point functions.

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arXiv2025

Localisation of the M2-brane

We study quantum M2-branes in holographic backgrounds and show that their moduli spaces of zero-modes are localised according to an R-symmetry Killing vector. We discuss the relation with recent results in the context of equivariant localisation in gauged supergravity and argue its origin within M-theory path integrals expanded in saddle points over M2-branes. We argue that the M2-brane partition function, including its non-perturbative corrections, should be compared to the field theory grand canonical partition function. Our results extend recent observations in the context of the giant graviton expansion of superconformal indices to generic supersymmetric AdS boundary conditions. As a byproduct we predict non-perturbative corrections to a variety of supersymmetric observables of the ABJM theory.

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arXiv2025

Extremal couplings, graviton exchange, and gluon scattering in AdS

Extremal cubic couplings in AdS relate bulk fields such that $Δ_i+Δ_j=Δ_k$. Such couplings lead to divergent 3-point Witten diagrams, and do not occur in theories with maximal supersymmetry. We consider the simplest theories where such coupling are non-zero, which is type IIB string theory with $N$ D3 branes probing various configurations of sevenbranes, which are dual to certain 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ SCFTs. At large $N$, the low energy effective theory is supergravity on $AdS_5\times S^5$ with a singularity, whose fixed point locus is $AdS_5\times S^3$. These theories have infinite towers of graviton modes, as well as gluon modes on the sevenbranes. We compute the nonzero coupling between these modes, which is in general (super)-extremal. We use these couplings to compute the graviton exchange term in the holographic correlator of gluon KK modes $\langle22pp\rangle$, which appears at the same order $1/N^2$ as 1-loop gluon exchange, and receives contributions from a whole tower of graviton modes. We use this graviton exchange term to compute the unmixing of the single trace graviton modes with double traces of gluon modes, which explains the divergent 3-point diagrams. Finally, for $\langle 2222\rangle$ for the simplest 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theory, we use supersymmetric localization and the new graviton exchange term to completely fix the correlator at order $1/N^2$.

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arXiv2025

Ensembles in M-theory and Holography

We discuss that the string/M-theory partition function requires a choice of ensembles, depending on which background fields are held fixed. The background fields correspond to worldvolume couplings in the effective action approach to the superstring, which we extrapolate to the M2-brane. One natural ensemble in this context, which we call the M2-ensemble, corresponds to fixing the value of the M-theory three-form potential. In holographic setups the choice of ensemble is important when comparing to observables in the dual field theory. Indeed, in AdS$_4$ holography the M2-ensemble does not map gravitational observables directly to field theory observables at a fixed rank $N$, but rather to observables in the grand canonical ensemble. We remark that many M2-brane partition functions take a simple form in this ensemble hinting at one-loop exactness. We also discuss how in AdS$_7$ holography, the M2-ensemble does correspond to the canonical ensemble in the field theory, i.e. the (2,0) theory at fixed rank $N$.

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arXiv2025

One-loop quantization of Euclidean D3-branes in holographic backgrounds

In this note we analyze the semi-classical quantization of D3 branes in three different holographic backgrounds in type IIB string theory. The first background is Euclidean AdS$_5$ with $S^1\times S^3$ boundary accompanied with a twist to preserve supersymmetry. We work out the spectrum of fluctuations around the classical D3-brane configuration, compute its one-loop partition function, and match to the non-perturbative correction to the superconformal index of ${\cal N}=4$ SYM. We then study Euclidean D3-branes in the Pilch-Warner geometry dual to the IR Leigh-Strassler fixed point of ${\cal N}=1^*$ with the aim to find non-perturbative corrections to its index. Finally we study Euclidean D3-branes in the non-geometric ${\cal N}=2$ J-fold background which is dual to the gauging of the 3D Gaiotto-Witten SCFT.

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arXiv2024

The Conformal Manifold of S-folds in String Theory

We continue the holographic exploration of the conformal manifold of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ S-fold SCFTs constructed by gauging the flavor symmetry of the Gaiotto-Witten $T[U(N)]$ theory. We show how to uplift the two-parameter family of AdS$_4$ vacua dual to this conformal manifold to 10d backgrounds of type IIB supergravity. We use these uplifted solutions to shed new light on the mysterious nature of the infinite distance limit on the conformal manifold and to study probe strings and D3-branes. This analysis uncovers an intriguing structure of the $S^3$ partition function of the S-fold SCFTs which resembles the giant graviton expansion of the superconformal index of 4d $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM. We also show how to each member of the family of supersymmetric AdS$_4$ vacua one can associate a consistent truncation to 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauged supergravity and use this result, in conjunction with holography, to calculate the large $N$ partition function of the 3d S-fold SCFT on compact Euclidean manifolds. Finally, we generalize the supersymmetric AdS$_4$ vacua to a four-parameter family of non-supersymmetric AdS$_4$ solutions.

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arXiv2023

Quantized Strings and Instantons in Holography

We study worldsheet instantons in holographic type IIA backgrounds directly in string theory. The first background is a dimensional reduction of AdS$_7\times S^4$ and is dual to the maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on $S^5$. The second background is AdS$_4\times \mathbf{C}P^3$ dual to ABJM in the type IIA limit. We compute the one-loop partition function of the fundamental string in these backgrounds and show that the result is in exact agreement with field theory predictions. We argue that for higher rank instantons, the string partition function takes a product form of the single instanton partition function times the contribution of two orbifolds on the worldsheet. We determine the orbifold factor to be $n^{-3/2}$ where $n$ is the instanton rank. With this result, we reproduce the series of non-perturbative corrections in $α'$ to the planar $S^5$ free energy. When studying the worldsheet instanton partition function on $\mathbf{C}P^3$, we encounter twelve fermionic and twelve bosonic zero modes. By deforming the ABJM theory, the zero-modes are lifted and consequently the tower of worldsheet instantons can be evaluated and matched to known results in the QFT. As a by-product, we determine a series of higher rank instanton corrections to the free energy of the mass-deformed and orbifolded ABJ(M) theory.

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arXiv2023

Holographic 3d $\mathcal N=1$ Conformal Manifolds

We construct and study several examples of continuous families of AdS$_4$ $\mathcal N = 1$ solutions of four-dimensional maximal gauged supergravity. These backgrounds provide the holographic descriptions of conformal manifolds of the dual 3d $\mathcal N = 1$ SCFTs. The solutions we study can be uplifted to type IIB supergravity where they arise from D3-branes wrapping an $S^1$ with an S-duality twist. We find the spectrum of low lying operators in the 3d $\mathcal N = 1$ SCFTs as a function of the exactly marginal coupling and discuss the structure of the corresponding superconformal multiplets. Using string theory techniques we also study additional examples of continuous families of $\mathcal N = 1$ AdS$_4$ vacua in type IIB and massive type IIA supergravity.

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arXiv2022

On non-supersymmetric fixed points in five dimensions

We generalize recent results regarding the phase space of the mass deformed $E_1$ fixed point to a full class of five-dimensional superconformal field theories, known as $X_{1,N}$. As in the $E_1$ case, a phase transition occurs as a supersymmetry preserving and a supersymmetry breaking mass deformations are appropriately tuned. The order of such phase transition could not be unequivocally determined in the $E_1$ case. For $X_{1,N}$ instead, we can show that at large $N$ there exists a regime where the phase transition is second order. Our findings give supporting evidence for the existence of non-supersymmetric fixed points in five dimensions.

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arXiv2021

Kaluza-Klein Spectroscopy for the Leigh-Strassler SCFT

We apply recently developed tools from exceptional field theory to calculate the full Kaluza-Klein spectrum of the AdS$_5$ Pilch-Warner solution of type IIB supergravity. Through the AdS/CFT correspondence this yields detailed information about the spectrum of protected and unprotected operators of the four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ Leigh-Strassler SCFT, in the planar limit. We also calculate explicitly the superconformal index of the SCFT in this limit and show that it agrees precisely with the spectrum of protected operators in the supergravity calculation.

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arXiv2021

The Holographic Conformal Manifold of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ $S$-fold SCFTs

We employ a non-compact gauging of four-dimensional maximal supergravity to construct a two-parameter family of AdS$_4$ J-fold solutions preserving $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetry. All solutions preserve $\mathfrak{u}(1)\times\mathfrak{u}(1)$ global symmetry and in special limits we recover the previously known $\mathfrak{su}(2)\times\mathfrak{u}(1)$ invariant $\mathcal{N}=2$ and $\mathfrak{su}(2)\times\mathfrak{su}(2)$ invariant $\mathcal{N}=4$ J-fold solutions. This family of AdS$_4$ backgrounds can be uplifted to type IIB string theory and is holographically dual to the conformal manifold of a class of three-dimensional $S$-fold SCFTs obtained from the $\mathcal{N}=4$ $T[\text{U}(N)]$ theory of Gaiotto-Witten. We find the spectrum of supergravity excitations of the AdS$_4$ solutions and use it to study how the operator spectrum of the three-dimensional SCFT depends on the exactly marginal couplings.

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arXiv2020

Holographic Interfaces in N=4 SYM: Janus and J-folds

We find the holographic dual to the three classes of superconformal Janus interfaces in $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM that preserve three-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=4$, $\mathcal{N}=2$, and $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry. The solutions are constructed in five-dimensional SO(6) maximal gauged supergravity and are then uplifted to type IIB supergravity. Corresponding to each of the three classes of Janus solutions, there are also AdS$_4\times S^1\times S^5$ J-fold backgrounds. These J-folds have a non-trivial SL$(2,\mathbb{Z})$ monodromy for the axio-dilaton on the $S^1$ and are dual to three-dimensional superconformal field theories.

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arXiv2019

Janus and J-fold Solutions from Sasaki-Einstein Manifolds

We show that for every Sasaki-Einstein manifold, $M_5$, the AdS$_5\times M_5$ background of type IIB supergravity admits two universal deformations leading to supersymmetric AdS$_4$ solutions. One class of solutions describes an AdS$_4$ domain wall in AdS$_5$ and is dual to a Janus configuration with $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry. The other class of backgrounds is of the form AdS$_4\times S^1\times M_5$ with a non-trivial SL$(2,\mathbb{Z})$ monodromy for the IIB axio-dilaton along the $S^1$. These AdS$_4$ solutions are dual to three-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs. Using holography we express the $S^3$ free energy of these theories in terms of the conformal anomaly of the four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFT arising from D3-branes on the Calabi-Yau cone over $M_5$.

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