4d N=2 superconformal linear quivers with type IIA duals

Understand

We discuss the gravity duals of 4d N=2 superconformal field theories (SCFTs) arising from the low-energy limit of brane configurations of D4-branes stretched between and intersecting NS5-branes and D6-branes.

• This gives rise to a product of SU(N_i) groups, with bi-fundamental matter between adjacent groups, and extra fundamental hypermultiplets.
• The most general configuration in 11d (or type IIA) supergravity that is dual to a 4d N=2 SCFT (when the dual of this SCFT is a weakly curved background) was written down by Gaiotto and Maldacena, but finding it explicitly involves solving a complicated Toda equation.
• This equation simplifies only when the solution can be reduced to type IIA supergravity, so we ask for which SCFTs of this type is there a type IIA dual that is weakly coupled and weakly curved (away from NS5-branes and D6-branes).