Confinement in $(1+1)$ dimensions: a holographic perspective from I-branes

In this paper we holographically study the strongly coupled dynamics of the field theory on I-branes (D5 branes intersecting on a line). In this regime, the field theory becomes $(2+1)$ dimensional with 16 supercharges. The dual background has an IR singularity. We resolve this singularity by compactifying the theory on a circle, preserving 4 supercharges. We study various aspects: confinement, symmetry breaking, Entanglement Entropy, etc. We also discuss a black membrane solution and make some comments on the string $\sigma$-model on our backgrounds.