Localization of Gauge Theory on a Four-Sphere and Supersymmetric Wilson Loops

Abstract

We prove conjecture due to Erickson-Semenoff-Zarembo and Drukker-Gross which relates supersymmetric circular Wilson loop operators in the \({\mathcal N=4}\) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with a Gaussian matrix model. We also compute the partition function and give a new matrix model formula for the expectation value of a supersymmetric circular Wilson loop operator for the pure \({\mathcal N=2}\) and the \({\mathcal N=2^*}\) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on a four-sphere. A four-dimensional \({\mathcal N=2}\) superconformal gauge theory is treated similarly.