Related papers: On the Physics of Higher Condensation Defects
We review the condensation completion of a modular tensor category $\mathcal{C}$, which yields a fusion 2-category $\Sigma\mathcal{C}$ of separable algebras, bimodules over algebras and bimodule maps in $\mathcal{C}$. Physically,…
It was recently argued that quantum field theories possess one-form and higher-form symmetries, labelled `generalized global symmetries.' In this paper, we describe how those higher-form symmetries can be understood mathematically as…
(3+1)D topological phases of matter can host a broad class of non-trivial topological defects of codimension-1, 2, and 3, of which the well-known point charges and flux loops are special cases. The complete algebraic structure of these…
We discuss the geometric origin of discrete higher form symmetries of quantum field theories in terms of defect groups from geometric engineering in M-theory. The flux non-commutativity in M-theory gives rise to (mixed) 't Hooft anomalies…
This note is intended as an introduction to the functorial formulation of quantum field theories with defects. After some remarks about models in general dimension, we restrict ourselves to two dimensions - the lowest dimension in which…
We describe the mathematical theory of topological quantum computing with symmetry defects in the language of fusion categories and unitary representations. Symmetry defects together with anyons are modeled by G-crossed braided extensions…
We consider two-dimensional (2d) quantum many-body systems with long-range orders, where the only gapless excitations in the spectrum are Goldstone modes of spontaneously broken continuous symmetries. To understand the interplay between…
We consider Abelian topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) in 3d and show that gaugings of invertible global symmetries naturally give rise to additive codes. These codes emerge as nonanomalous subgroups of the 1-form symmetry group,…
In this paper I discuss the formation of topological defects in quantum field theory and the relation between fractals and coherent states. The study of defect formation is particularly useful in the understanding of the same mathematical…
We formulate a new class of tensor gauge field theories in any dimension that is a hybrid class between symmetric higher-rank tensor gauge theory (i.e., higher-spin gauge theory) and anti-symmetric tensor topological field theory. Our…
We extend a recently defined measure of symmetry breaking, the entanglement asymmetry, to higher-form symmetries. In particular, we focus on Abelian topological order in two dimensions, which spontaneously breaks a 1-form symmetry. Using…
Topological defects play a fundamental role in the investigation of symmetries in quantum field theories. For conformal field theories in two space-time dimensions, it is possible to construct these defects using lattice models allowing…
We derive new dualities of topological quantum field theories in three spacetime dimensions that generalize the familiar level-rank dualities of Chern-Simons gauge theories. The key ingredient in these dualities is non-abelian anyon…
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…
We investigate the gauging of higher-form finite Abelian symmetries and their sub-groups in quantum spin models in spatial dimensions $d=2$ and 3. Doing so, we naturally uncover gauged models with dual higher-group symmetries and potential…
We revisit the possibility of constructing non-invertible topological defects for the axial symmetry of massless QED, despite its ABJ anomaly. Dressing the defects with a topological quantum field theory with mixed $U(1)$ and…
A 2+1-dimensional topological quantum field theory (TQFT) may or may not admit topological (gapped) boundary conditions. A famous necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the existence of a topological boundary condition is that the…
We study gapped boundaries characterized by "fermionic condensates" in 2+1 d topological order. Mathematically, each of these condensates can be described by a super commutative Frobenius algebra. We systematically obtain the species of…
As put forward in [arXiv:1907.12339] topological quantum field theories can be projected using so-called projection defects. The projected theory and its correlation functions can be completely realized within the unprojected one. An…
This is a survey article for the Encyclopedia of Mathematical Physics, 2nd Edition. Topological defects are described in the context of the 2-dimensional Ising model on the lattice, in 2-dimensional quantum field theory, in topological…