The (2, 0) superconformal bootstrap

Abstract

We develop the conformal bootstrap program for six-dimensional conformal field theories with (2, 0) supersymmetry, focusing on the universal four-point function of stress tensor multiplets. We review the solution of the superconformal Ward identities and describe the superconformal block decomposition of this correlator. We apply numerical bootstrap techniques to derive bounds on operator product expansion (OPE) coefficients and scaling dimensions from the constraints of crossing symmetry and unitarity. We also derive analytic results for the large spin spectrum using the light cone expansion of the crossing equation. Our principal result is strong evidence that the A1 theory realizes the minimal allowed central charge (c=25) for any interacting (2, 0) theory. This implies that the full stress tensor four-point function of the A1 theory is the unique unitary solution to the crossing symmetry equation at c=25. For this theory, we estimate the scaling dimensions of the lightest unprotected operators appearing in the stress tensor operator product expansion. We also find rigorous upper bounds for dimensions and OPE coefficients for a general interacting (2, 0) theory of central charge c. For large c, our bounds appear to be saturated by the holographic predictions obtained from eleven-dimensional supergravity.