Topological defects in K3 sigma models

Abstract

Abstract We consider the topological defect lines commuting with the spectral flow and the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = (4, 4) superconformal symmetry in two dimensional non-linear sigma models on K3. By studying their fusion with boundary states, we derive a number of general results for the category of such defects. We argue that while for certain K3 models infinitely many simple defects, and even a continuum, can occur, at generic points in the moduli space the category is actually trivial, i.e. it is generated by the identity defect. Furthermore, we show that if a K3 model is at the attractor point for some BPS configuration of D-branes, then all topological defects have integral quantum dimension. We also conjecture that a continuum of topological defects arises if and only if the K3 model is a (possibly generalized) orbifold of a torus model. Finally, we test our general results in a couple of examples, where we provide a partial classification of the topological defects.