English

A QFT for non-semisimple TQFT

High Energy Physics - Theory 2021-12-06 v1 Algebraic Topology Quantum Algebra

Abstract

We construct a family of 3d quantum field theories Tn,kA\mathcal T_{n,k}^A that conjecturally provide a physical realization -- and derived generalization -- of non-semisimple mathematical TQFT's based on the modules for the quantum group Uq(sln)U_q(\mathfrak{sl}_n) at an even root of unity q=exp(iπ/k)q=\text{exp}(i\pi/k). The theories Tn,kA\mathcal T_{n,k}^A are defined as topological twists of certain 3d N=4\mathcal N=4 Chern-Simons-matter theories, which also admit string/M-theory realizations. They may be thought of as SU(n)knSU(n)_{k-n} Chern-Simons theories, coupled to a twisted N=4\mathcal N=4 matter sector (the source of non-semisimplicity). We show that Tn,kA\mathcal T_{n,k}^A admits holomorphic boundary conditions supporting two different logarithmic vertex operator algebras, one of which is an sln\mathfrak{sl}_n-type Feigin-Tipunin algebra; and we conjecture that these two vertex operator algebras are related by a novel logarithmic level-rank duality. (We perform detailed computations to support the conjecture.) We thus relate the category of line operators in Tn,kA\mathcal T_{n,k}^A to the derived category of modules for a boundary Feigin-Tipunin algebra, and -- using a logarithmic Kazhdan-Lusztig-like correspondence that has been established for n=2n=2 and expected for general nn -- to the derived category of Uq(sln)U_q(\mathfrak{sl}_n) modules. We analyze many other key features of Tn,kA\mathcal T_{n,k}^A and match them from quantum-group and VOA perspectives, including deformations by flat PSL(n,C)PSL(n,\mathbb C) connections, one-form symmetries, and indices of (derived) genus-gg state spaces.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2112.01559,
  title  = {A QFT for non-semisimple TQFT},
  author = {Thomas Creutzig and Tudor Dimofte and Niklas Garner and Nathan Geer},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.01559},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

195 pages and many figures

R2 v1 2026-06-24T08:02:21.041Z