5d SCFTs from decoupling and gluing

Abstract

We systematically analyse 5d superconformal field theories (SCFTs) obtained by dimensional reduction from 6d N = (1, 0) SCFTs. Such theories have a realization as M-theory on a singular Calabi-Yau threefold, from which we determine the so-called combined fiber diagrams (CFD) introduced in [1–3]. The CFDs are graphs that encode the superconformal flavor symmetry, BPS states, low energy descriptions, as well as descendants upon flavor matter decoupling. To obtain a 5d SCFT from 6d, there are two approaches: the first is to consider a circle-reduction combined with mass deformations. The second is to circle-reduce and decouple an entire gauge sector from the theory. The former is applicable e.g. for very Higgsable theories, whereas the latter is required to obtain a 5d SCFT from a non-very Higgsable 6d theory. In the M-theory realization the latter case corresponds to decompactification of a set of compact surfaces in the Calabi-Yau threefold. To exemplify this we consider the 5d SCFTs that descend from non-Higgsable clusters and non-minimal conformal matter theories. Finally, inspired by the quiver structure of 6d theories, we propose a gluing construction for 5d SCFTs from building blocks and their CFDs.