Related papers: Finite groups, spherical 2-categories, and 4-manif…
In this paper I define the notion of a non-degenerate finitely semi-simple semi-strict spherical 2-category of non-zero dimension. Given such a 2-category I define a state-sum for any triangulated compact closed oriented 4-manifold and show…
We introduce semisimple 2-categories, fusion 2-categories, and spherical fusion 2-categories. For each spherical fusion 2-category, we construct a state-sum invariant of oriented singular piecewise-linear 4-manifolds.
We provide, with proofs, a complete description of the authors' construction of state-sum invariants announced in [CY], and its generalization to an arbitrary (artinian) semisimple tortile category. We also discuss the relationship of these…
We construct a state-sum type invariant of smooth closed oriented $4$-manifolds out of a $G$-crossed braided spherical fusion category ($G$-BSFC) for $G$ a finite group. The construction can be extended to obtain a $(3+1)$-dimensional…
A family of invariants of smooth, oriented four-dimensional manifolds is defined via handle decompositions and the Kirby calculus of framed link diagrams. The invariants are parameterised by a pivotal functor from a spherical fusion…
It has long been argued that higher categories provide the proper algebraic structure underlying state sum invariants of 4-manifolds. This idea has been refined recently, by proposing to use 2-groups and their representations as specific…
Crane and Frenkel proposed a state sum invariant for triangulated 4-manifolds.They defined and used new algebraic structures called Hopf categories for their construction. Crane and Yetter studied Hopf categories and gave some examples…
We give a construction of a state sum invariant of a closed spin 3-manifold based on a super 3-cocycle $(\widetilde{\alpha}, \omega)$ and a combinatorial representation of a spin 3-manifold, where $\omega$ is a $\mathbb{Z}_2$-valued cocycle…
A theory of finite type invariants for arbitrary compact oriented 3-manifolds is proposed, and illustrated through many examples arising from both classical and quantum topology. The theory is seen to be highly non-trivial even for…
In this thesis I review the definition of topological quantum field theories through state sums on triangulated manifolds. I describe the construction of state sum invariants of 3-manifolds from a graphical calculus and show how to evaluate…
We define a family of quantum invariants of closed oriented $3$-manifolds using spherical multi-fusion categories. The state sum nature of this invariant leads directly to $(2+1)$-dimensional topological quantum field theories…
We define a new finite type invariant for stably homeomorphic class of curves on compact oriented surfaces without boundaries and extend to a regular homotopy invariant for spherical curves.
The main theorem describes the behaviour of the stable cohomotopy invariant defined in the first article (joint with M. Furuta) in this series of two under the operation of taking connected sums of four-manifolds: The invariant of a…
Families of smooth closed oriented 4-manifolds with a complex spin structure are studied by means of a family version of the Bauer--Furuta invariants in the context of parametrised stable homotopy theory, leading to a definition of…
Any triple $(W,L,\rho)$, where $W$ is a compact closed oriented 3-manifold, $L$ is a link in $W$ and $\rho$ is a flat principal $B$-bundle over $W$ ($B$ is the Borel subgroup of upper triangular matrices of $SL(2,\mc)$), can be encoded by…
We use Gay and Kirby's description of 4-manifolds in terms of trisections and trisection diagrams to define a new 4-manifold invariant. The algebraic data are an indecomposable finite semisimple bimodule category over a pair of spherical…
A family of TQFTs parametrised by G-crossed braided spherical fusion categories has been defined recently as a state sum model and as a Hamiltonian lattice model. Concrete calculations of the resulting manifold invariants are scarce because…
In this paper we define a new state sum based on the regions defined by tangles on a surface which is an oriented closed surface with a finite number of open holes drilled. From this state sum we obtain an invariant of regular isotopy for…
Invariants of 3-manifolds from a non semi-simple category of modules over a version of quantum sl(2) were obtained by the last three authors in [arXiv:1404.7289]. In their construction the quantum parameter $q$ is a root of unity of order…
Just as 3d state sum models, including 3d quantum gravity, can be built using categories of group representations, "2-categories of 2-group representations" may provide interesting state sum models for 4d quantum topology, if not quantum…