Quantum Line Defects and Refined BPS Spectra

Abstract: In this note we study refined BPS invariants associated with certain quantum line defects in quantum field theories of class $\mathcal{S}$. Such defects can be specified via geometric engineering in the UV by assigning a path on a certain curve. In the IR they are described by framed BPS quivers. We study the associated BPS spectral problem, including the spin content. The relevant BPS invariants arise from the K-theoretic enumerative geometry of the moduli spaces of quiver representations, adapting a construction by Nekrasov and Okounkov. In particular refined framed BPS states are described via Euler characteristics of certain complexes of sheaves.