English

Lecture notes on 2-dimensional defect TQFT

Quantum Algebra 2020-07-08 v2 High Energy Physics - Theory Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

These notes offer an introduction to the functorial and algebraic description of 2-dimensional topological quantum field theories `with defects', assuming only superficial familiarity with closed TQFTs in terms of commutative Frobenius algebras. The generalisation of this relation is a construction of pivotal 2-categories from defect TQFTs. We review this construction in detail, flanked by a range of examples. Furthermore we explain how open/closed TQFTs are equivalent to Calabi-Yau categories and the Cardy condition, and how to extract such data from pivotal 2-categories.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1607.05747,
  title  = {Lecture notes on 2-dimensional defect TQFT},
  author = {Nils Carqueville},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1607.05747},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

42 pages, prepared for the proceedings of the Advanced School on Topological Quantum Field Theory in Warsaw, December 2015; v2: references added

R2 v1 2026-06-22T14:58:55.838Z