Related papers: Twisted Partition Functions as Order Parameters
The partition function of four dimensional Euclidean, non-supersymmetric SU(2) Yang--Mills theory is calculated in the perturbative and weak coupling regime i.e. in a small open ball about the flat connection (what we call the vicinity of…
Topology is a fundamental aspect of quantum physics, and it has led to key breakthroughs and results in various fields of quantum materials. In condensed matters, this has culminated in the recent discovery of symmetry-protected topological…
We study anomalies in time-reversal ($\mathbb{Z}_2^T$) and $U(1)$ symmetric topological orders. In this context, an anomalous topological order is one that cannot be realized in a strictly $(2+1)$-D system but can be realized on the surface…
We investigate 3d $\mathscr{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on $S^1 \times S^2$ and the corresponding 2d effective field theories arising in the limit of small ratio of radii, $\beta=R_{S^1}/R_{S^2}\to 0$. We evaluate the exact…
Topological order in two dimensions can be described in terms of deconfined quasiparticle excitations - anyons - and their braiding statistics. However, it has recently been realized that this data does not completely describe the situation…
Mixed states can exhibit two distinct kinds of symmetries, either on the level of the individual states (strong symmetry), or only on the level of the ensemble (weak symmetry). Strong symmetries can be spontaneously broken down to weak…
We derive explicit formulae to compute the $a$ and $c$ central charges of four dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories (SCFTs) directly from Coulomb branch related quantities. The formulae apply at arbitrary rank. We also…
We study the partition function of the free Sp(N) conformal field theory recently conjectured to be dual to asymptotically de Sitter higher-spin gravity in four-dimensions. We compute the partition function of this CFT on a round sphere as…
We investigate several quantum phenomena related to quadratic gravity after rewriting the general fourth-order action in a more convenient form that is second-order in derivatives and produces only first-class constraints in phase space. We…
We apply harmonic analysis to study the $T\bar{T}$-deformed torus partition function. We first express the CFT partition functions in terms of Maass waveforms, including the Eisenstein series and cusp forms. These basis functions turn out…
We explore the rich landscape of higher-form and non-invertible symmetries that emerge at low energies in generic ordered phases. Using that their charge is carried by homotopy defects (i.e., domain walls, vortices, hedgehogs, etc.), in the…
From its inception in statistical physics to its role in the construction and in the development of the asymmetric Yang-Mills phase in quantum field theory, the notion of spontaneous broken symmetry permeates contemporary physics. This is…
An SU(2) lattice gauge theory with two doublets of complex scalar fields is considered. All continuous symmetries are identified and, using the nonperturbative methods of lattice field theory, the phase diagram is mapped out by direct…
Supersymmetric gauge theories have played a central role in applications of quantum field theory to mathematics. Topologically twisted supersymmetric gauge theories often admit a rigorous mathematical description: for example, the Donaldson…
Symmetry properties are at the basis of integrability. In recent years, it appeared that so called "twisted symmetries" are as effective as standard symmetries in many respects (integrating ODEs, finding special solutions to PDEs). Here we…
We identify a positivity property for partition functions in quantum systems with a unitary symmetry group, and we call this "twist positivity." The existence of Feynman-Kac measures and the existence of zero-mass limits are both related to…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking has revolutionized the understanding in numerous fields of modern physics. Here, we theoretically demonstrate the spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking in a cavity quantum electrodynamics system in which…
Symmetries in Quantum Field Theory may have 't Hooft anomalies. If the symmetry is unbroken in the vacuum, the anomaly implies a nontrivial low-energy limit, such as gapless modes or a topological field theory. If the symmetry is…
We study globally supersymmetric 3d gauge theories on curved manifolds by describing the coupling of 3d topological gauge theories, with both Yang-Mills and Chern-Simons terms in the action, to background topological gravity. In our…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) is responsible for structure formation in scenarios ranging from condensed matter to cosmology. SSB is broadly understood in terms of perturbations to the Hamiltonian governing the dynamics or to the…