English

Half dualization and non-invertible particle-vortex duality defect on lattice

Statistical Mechanics 2026-07-14 v1 Strongly Correlated Electrons High Energy Physics - Lattice High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

We introduce half dualization as a general principle to construct non-invertible duality defects. The construction performs a duality transformation only in a subregion of spacetime, leaving an interface between the original theory and its dual. A non-invertible duality defect can be hosted on this interface. Half dualization is applicable whenever a local duality transformation is available, and does not depend on the spacetime dimension. We demonstrate the construction procedure in the (2+1)-dimensional Villainized charge-nn XY model on a cubic lattice. Half dualization yields a non-invertible particle-vortex duality defect whose fusion with its orientation reverse produces a (1+1)-dimensional Zn\mathbb{Z}_n gauge theory on the fusion surface. We then apply half dualization to the Zn\mathbb{Z}_n-gauged XY model relevant to the 3D XY^\ast transition. In the gauged model, the half dualization interface hosts a gauge covariant duality wall, rather than a genuine gauge invariant duality defect. It flows to an invertible duality defect in infrared when the Zn\mathbb{Z}_n gauge theory is confined or Higgsed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.13138,
  title  = {Half dualization and non-invertible particle-vortex duality defect on lattice},
  author = {Zhi-Qiang Gao},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.13138},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

6.5 pages