Deconfinement on axion domain walls

We study $SU(N_c)$ gauge theories with Dirac fermions in representations ${cal{R}}$ of nonzero $N$-ality, coupled to axions. These theories have an exact discrete chiral symmetry, which has a mixed t Hooft anomaly with general baryon-color-flavor backgrounds, called the BCF anomaly in arXiv:1909.09027. The infrared theory also has an emergent $mathbb Z_{N_c}^{(1)}$ $1$-form center symmetry. We show that the BCF anomaly is matched in the infrared by axion domain walls. We argue that $mathbb Z_{N_c}^{(1)}$ is spontaneously broken on axion domain walls, so that nonzero $N$-ality Wilson loops obey the perimeter law and probe quarks are deconfined on the walls. We give further support to our conclusion by using a calculable small-circle compactification to study the multi-scale structure of the axion domain walls and the microscopic physics of deconfinement on their worldvolume.