Searching for surface defect CFTs within AdS$_3$ (2007.16167v2)

Abstract: We study $\mathrm{AdS}3\times S^3/\mathbb{Z}_k\times {\tilde S}^3/\mathbb{Z}{k'}$ solutions to M-theory preserving $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetries, arising as near-horizon limits of M2-M5 brane intersections ending on M5'-branes, with both types of five-branes placed on A-type singularities. Solutions in this class asymptote locally to $\mathrm{AdS}7/\mathbb{Z}_k\times {\tilde S}^3/\mathbb{Z}{k'}$, and can thus be interpreted as holographic duals to surface defect CFTs within the $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ 6d CFT dual to this solution. Upon reduction to Type IIA, we obtain a new class of solutions of the form $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^3/\mathbb{Z}_k\times S^2 \times \Sigma_2$ preserving (0,4) supersymmetries. We construct explicit 2d quiver CFTs dual to these solutions, describing D2-D4 surface defects embedded within the 6d (1,0) quiver CFT dual to the $\mathrm{AdS}_7/\mathbb{Z}_k$ solution to massless IIA. Finally, in the massive case, we show that the recently constructed $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^2\times \mathrm{CY}_2$ solutions with $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetries gain a defect interpretation when $\mathrm{CY}_2=T^4$ as surface CFTs originating from D2-NS5-D6 defects embedded within the 5d CFT dual to the Brandhuber-Oz $\mathrm{AdS}_6$ background.