Janus field theories from multiple M2 branes

Abstract

Based on the recent proposal of N = 8 superconformal gauge theories of the multiple M2 branes, we derive (2 + 1)-dimensional supersymmetric Janus field theories with a space-time dependent coupling constant. From the original Bagger-Lambert model, we get a supersymmetric field theory with a similar action to the N D2 branes, but the coupling varies with the space-time as a function of the light-cone coordinate, g(t + x). Half of the supersymmetries can be preserved. We further investigate the M2 brane action deformed by mass and Myers-like terms. In this case, the final Yang-Mills action is deformed by mass and Myers terms, and the coupling behaves as exp(μx) where μ is a constant mass parameter. Weak coupling gauge theory is continuously changed to strong coupling in the large x region.