Superconformal duality-invariant models and $mathcal{N} = 4$ SYM effective action

We present $mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal $mathsf{U}(1)$ duality-invariant models for an Abelian vector multiplet coupled to conformal supergravity. In a Minkowski background, such a nonlinear theory is expected to describe (the planar part of) the low-energy effective action for the $mathcal{N}=4$ $mathsf{SU}(N)$ super-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory on its Coulomb branch where (i) the gauge group $mathsf{SU}(N)$ is spontaneously broken to $mathsf{SU}(N-1) times mathsf{U}(1)$; and (ii) the dynamics is captured by a single $mathcal{N}=2$ vector multiplet associated with the $mathsf{U}(1)$ factor of the unbroken group. Additionally, a local $mathsf{U}(1)$ duality-invariant action generating the $mathcal{N}=2$ super-Weyl anomaly is proposed. By providing a new derivation of the recently constructed $mathsf{U}(1)$ duality-invariant $mathcal{N}=1$ superconformal electrodynamics, we introduce its $mathsf{SL}(2,{mathbb R})$ duality-invariant coupling to the dilaton-axion multiplet.