Defect in Gauge Theory and Quantum Hall States

Abstract: We study the surface defect in $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ $U(N)$ gauge theory in four dimensions and its relation to quantum Hall states in two dimensions. We first prove that the defect partition function becomes the Jack polynomial of the variables describing the brane positions by imposing the Higgsing condition and taking the bulk decoupling limit. Further tuning the adjoint mass parameter, we may obtain various fractional quantum Hall states, including Laughlin, Moore-Read, and Read-Rezayi states, due to the admissible condition of the Jack polynomial.