Surface defects in the $O(N)$ model

Abstract: I study the two-dimensional defects of the $d$ dimensional critical $O(N)$ model and the defect RG flows between them. By combining the $\epsilon$-expansion around $d = 4$ and $d = 6$ as well as large $N$ techniques, I find new conformal defects and examine their behavior across dimensions and at various $N$. I discuss how some of these fixed points relate to the known ordinary, special and extraordinary transitions in the 3d theory, as well as examine the presence of new symmetry breaking fixed points preserving an $O(p) \times O(N-p)$ subgroup of $O(N)$ for $N \le N_c$ (with the estimate $N_c = 6$). I characterise these fixed points by obtaining their conformal anomaly coefficients, their 1-point functions and comment on the calculation of their string potential. These results establish surface operators as a viable approach to the characterisation of interface critical phenomena in the 3d critical $O(N)$ model.