M theory on AdSpxS11-p and superconformal field theories

We study the large N limit of the interacting superconformal field theories associated with N M5 branes or M2 branes using the recently proposed relation between these theories and M theory on AdS spaces. We first analyze the spectrum of chiral operators of the 6d (0,2) theory associated with M5 branes in flat space, and find full agreement with earlier results obtained using its DLCQ description as quantum mechanics on a moduli space of instantons. We then perform a similar analysis for the D-N type 6d (0,2) theories associated with M5 branes at an R-5/Z(2) singularity, and for the 3d N = 8 superconformal field theories associated with M2 branes in flat space and at an R-8/Z(2) singularity respectively. Little is known about these three theories, and our study yields for the first time their spectrum of chiral operators (in the large N limit). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.