Title: Classification of extended operators in conformal field theories
Abstract:Conformal symmetry is a powerful tool used to study field theories at their critical points. The enlargement of the space-time symmetry allows to classify local operators according to their conformal ...Conformal symmetry is a powerful tool used to study field theories at their critical points. The enlargement of the space-time symmetry allows to classify local operators according to their conformal dimension. We propose a similar classification of nonlocal objects, like defects, vortices or Wilson loops, which may exist in conformal field theories. The definition relies on representations of subgroups of the conformal group and this new notion analogous to the conformal dimension may have wide applications in a variety of conformal field theories. We demonstrate the uses of this method to the study of Wilson loops in a conformal gauge theory.Read More