Partition Functions of Superconformal Chern-Simons Theories from Fermi Gas Approach

Understand

We study the partition function of three-dimensional ${\mathcal N}=4$ superconformal Chern-Simons theories of the circular quiver type, which are natural generalizations of the ABJM theory, the worldvolume theory of M2-branes.

• In the ABJM case, it was known that the perturbative part of the partition function sums up to the Airy function as $Z(N)=e^{A}C^{-1/3}\mathrm{Ai}[C^{-1/3}(N-B)]$ with coefficients $C$, $B$ and $A$ and that for the non-perturbative part the divergences coming from the coefficients of worldsheet instantons and membrane instantons cancel among themselves.
• We find that many of the interesting properties in the ABJM theory are extended to the general superconformal Chern-Simons theories.
• Especially, we find an explicit expression of $B$ for general ${\mathcal N}=4$ theories, a conjectural form of $A$ for a special class of theories, and cancellation in the non-perturbative coefficients for the simplest theory next to the ABJM theory.