N=1,2 4D Superconformal Field Theories and Supergravity in $AdS_5$

We consider N=2 superconformal theories defined on a 3+1 dimensional hyperplane intersection of two sets of M5 branes. These theories have (tensionless) BPS string solitons. We use a dual supergravity formulation to deduce some of their properties via the AdS/CFT correspondence.

We study the Kaluza-Klein spectrum of D=5 simple supergravity on $S^2$ with special interest in the relation to a two-dimensional N=4 superconformal field theory. The spectrum is obtained around the maximally supersymmetric Freund-Rubin-like background $AdS_3\times S^2$ by closely following the well-known techniques developed in D=11 supergravity. All the vector excitations turn out to be ``(anti-)self-dual'', having only one dynamical degree of freedom. The representation th...

We study superstring theories on AdS(3) x N backgrounds yielding N=2,3,4 extended superconformal symmetries in the dual boundary CFT. In each case the necessary constraints on the internal worldsheet theory N are found.

This paper lays groundwork for the detailed study of the non-trivial renormalization group flow connecting supersymmetric fixed points in four dimensions using string theory on AdS spaces. Specifically, we consider D3-branes placed at singularities of Calabi-Yau threefolds which generalize the conifold singularity and have an ADE classification. The $\mathcal{N}=1$ superconformal theories dictating their low-energy dynamics are infrared fixed points arising from deforming the...

A survey of ideas, techniques and results from d=5 supergravity for the conformal and mass-perturbed phases of d=4 ${\cal N}$=4 Super-Yang-Mills theory

We explore the connection of anti-de-Sitter supergravity in six dimensions, based on the exceptional F(4) superalgebra, and its boundary superconformal singleton theory. The interpretation of these results in terms of a D4-D8 system and its near horizon geometry is suggested.

This is an introductory review of the AdS/CFT correspondence and of the ideas that led to its formulation. We show how comparison of stacks of D3-branes with corresponding supergravity solutions leads to dualities between conformal large $N$ gauge theories in 4 dimensions and string backgrounds of the form $AdS_5\times X_5$ where $X_5$ is an Einstein manifold. The gauge invariant chiral operators of the field theory are in one-to-one correspondence with the supergravity modes...

There has recently been a revival of interest in anti de-Sitter space (AdS) brought about by the conjectured duality beteeen physics in the bulk of AdS and a conformal field theory on the boundary. Since the whole subject of branes, singletons and superconformal field theories on the AdS boundary was an active area of research about ten years ago, I begin with a historical review, including the ``Membrane at the end of the universe'' idea. Next I discuss two recent papers wit...

We demonstrate how actions for interacting superconformal field theories in (p+1)-dimensions arise as a result of gauge fixing worldvolume diffeomorphisms and fermionic kappa-symmetry in actions for super-p-branes propagating in superbackgrounds of AdS(p+2)xS(D-p-2) geometry. The method of nonlinear realizations and coset spaces is used for getting an explicit form of supervielbeins and superconnections of the AdSxS superbackgrounds, which are required for the construction of...

We analyze various brane configurations corresponding to field theories in three, four and five dimensions. We find brane configurations which correspond to three dimensional N=2 and four dimensional N=1 supersymmetric QCD theories with quartic superpotentials, in which what appear to be ``hidden parameters'' play an important role. We discuss the construction of five dimensional N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories and superconformal fixed points using branes, which leads to ne...