Structure of Anomalies of 4d SCFTs from M5-branes, and Anomaly Inflow

We study the 't Hooft anomalies of four-dimensional superconformal field theories that arise from M5-branes wrapped on a punctured Riemann surface. In general there are two independent contributions to the anomalies. There is a bulk term obtained by integrating the anomaly polynomial of the world-volume theory on the M5-branes over the Riemann surface; this contribution knows about the punctures only through its dependence on the Euler characteristic of the surface. The second set of contributions comes from local data at the punctures; these terms are independent from the bulk data of the surface. Using anomaly inflow in M-theory, we describe the general structure of the anomalies for cases when the four-dimensional theories preserve N=2 supersymmetry. We additionally discuss the anomalies corresponding to (p,q) punctures in N=1 theories.Comment: version 2, 38 pages. We simplified the discussion of the inflow procedure with punctures and removed the details of the explicit computation of the puncture anomalies in order to focus on arguing the main new ideas. Added clarification on main resul

Linear Quivers and N=1 SCFTs from M5-branes

We study a class of N=1 quiver gauge theories build out of vector multiplets and matter multiplets in the fundamental and bifundamental representations. We argue that these theories flow to interacting SCFTs in the IR and calculate their central charges. We exhibit a type IIA brane construction which at low energies is described by these SCFTs. This also leads to a natural description of the theories in terms of M5-branes on a punctured sphere.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Punctures from Probe M5-Branes and N=1 Superconformal Field Theories

We study probe M5-branes in N=1 AdS5 solutions of M-theory that arise from M5-branes wrapped on a Riemann surface. Using the BPS condition from kappa-symmetry, we classify supersymmetric probe M5-branes that extend along all of AdS5 and intersect the Riemann surface at points. These can be viewed as punctures in the dual N=1 superconformal field theories. We find M5-branes that correspond to the two types of simple punctures previously studied in field theory. In addition, when the central charge is rational, we find a new class of M5-branes with a moduli space that includes two internal dimensions in addition to the Riemann surface. These new M5-branes have the essential characteristic of fractional branes, in that a single one at a generic point of its moduli space becomes multiple M5-branes at special points.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figure

BPS M5-branes as Defects for the 3d-3d Correspondence

We study supersymmetric probe M5-branes in the AdS_4 solution that arises from M5-branes wrapped on a hyperbolic 3-manifold M_3. This amounts to introducing internal defects within the framework of the 3d-3d correspondence. The BPS condition for a probe M5-brane extending along all of AdS_4 requires it to wrap a surface embedded in an S^2-fibration over M_3. We find that the projection of this surface to M_3 can be either a geodesic or a tubular surface around a geodesic. These configurations preserve an extra U(1) symmetry, in addition to the one corresponding to the R-symmetry of the dual 3d N=2 gauge theory. BPS M2-branes can stretch between M5-branes wrapping geodesics. We interpret the addition of probe M5-branes on a closed geodesic in terms of conformal Dehn surgery.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figure

AdS/CFT Dual Pairs from M5-Branes on Riemann Surfaces

In this letter we describe an infinite family of new N=1 AdS_5/CFT_4 dual pairs which arise from M5-branes wrapping Riemann surfaces in Calabi-Yau threefolds. We use the relevant brane constructions to compute the central charges of the infrared fixed points from the M5-brane anomaly polynomial. We then present AdS_5 x M_6 solutions of eleven-dimensional supergravity which are dual to these CFTs at large N. Finally, we provide a purely four-dimensional field theory construction which flows to a special class of these fixed points. These theories will be further elaborated upon in a companion paper.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. v2: typos corrected, conclusions section omitted for lengt

Quiver Tails and N=1 SCFTs from M5-branes

We study a class of four-dimensional N=1 superconformal field theories obtained by wrapping M5-branes on a Riemann surface with punctures. We identify UV descriptions of four-dimensional SCFTs corresponding to curves with a class of punctures. The quiver tails appearing in these UV descriptions differ significantly from their N=2 counterpart. We find a new type of object that we call the `Fan'. We show how to construct new N=1 superconformal theories using the Fan. Various dual descriptions for these SCFTs can be identified with different colored pair-of-pants decompositions. For example, we find an N=1 analog of Argyres-Seiberg duality for the SU(N) SQCD with 2N flavors. We also compute anomaly coefficients and superconformal indices for these theories and show that they are invariant under dualities.Comment: 40 pages + appendices, 32 figures; v2: minor corrections; v3: more corrections, improved figures and presentation. to appear in JHE

Quarter-BPS AdS5 solutions in M-theory with a T2 bundle over a Riemann surface

We study and classify quarter-BPS AdS5 systems in M-theory, whose internal six-dimensional geometry is a T2 bundle over a Riemann surface and two interval directions. The general system presented, provides a unified description of all known AdS5 solutions in M-theory. These systems are governed by two functions, one that corresponds to the conformal factor of the Riemann surface and another that describes the T2 fibration. We find solutions that can be organized into two classes. In the first one, solutions are specified by the conformal factor of the Riemann surface which satisfies a warped generalization of the SU(infinity) Toda equation. The system in the second class requires the Riemann surface to be S2, H2 or T2. Class one contains the M-theory AdS5 solutions of Lin, Lunin and Maldacena; the solutions of Maldacena and Nunez; the solutions of Gauntlett, Martelli, Sparks and Waldram; and the eleven-dimensional uplift of the Y(p,q) metrics. The second includes the recently found solutions of Beem, Bobev, Wecht and the author. Within each class there are new solutions that will be studied in a companion paper.Comment: Signs in warp factor corrected. References adde