3d Mirror Symmetry and the $\beta\gamma$ VOA

Abstract

We study the simplest example of mirror symmetry for 3d $\mathcal N=4$ SUSY gauge theories: the A-twist of a free hypermultiplet and the B-twist of SQED. We particularly focus on the category of line operators in each theory. Using the work of Costello-Gaiotto, we define these categories as appropriate categories of modules for the boundary vertex operator algebras present in each theory. For the A-twist of a free hyper, this will be a certain category of modules for the $\beta\gamma$ VOA, properly containing the category previously studied by Allen-Wood. Applying the work of Creutzig-Kanade-McRae and Creutzig-McRae-Yang, we show that the category of line operators on the A side possesses the structure of a braided tensor category, extending the result of Allen-Wood. In addition, we prove that there is a braided tensor equivalence between the categories of line operators on the A side and B side, completing a non-trivial check of the 3d mirror symmetry conjecture. We derive explicit fusion rules as a consequence of this equivalence and obtain interesting relations with associated quantum group representations.