Construction of two-dimensional topological field theories with non-invertible symmetries

We construct the defining data of two-dimensional topological field theories (TFTs) enriched by non-invertible symmetries/topological defect lines. Simple formulae for the three-point functions and the lasso two-point functions are derived, and crossing symmetry is proven. The key ingredients are open-to-closed maps and a boundary crossing relation, by which we show that a diagonal basis exists in the defect Hilbert spaces. We then introduce regular TFTs, provide their explicit constructions for the Fibonacci, Ising and Haagerup ℋ3 fusion categories, and match our formulae with previous bootstrap results. We end by explaining how non-regular TFTs are obtained from regular TFTs via generalized gauging.

Topological field theories and symmetry protected topological phases with fusion category symmetries

Fusion category symmetries are finite symmetries in 1+1 dimensions described by unitary fusion categories. We classify 1+1d time-reversal invariant bosonic symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases with fusion category symmetry by using topological field theories. We first formulate two-dimensional unoriented topological field theories whose symmetry splits into time-reversal symmetry and fusion category symmetry. We then solve them to show that SPT phases are classified by equivalence classes of quintuples (Z, M, i, s, ϕ) where (Z, M, i) is a fiber functor, s is a sign, and ϕ is the action of orientation- reversing symmetry that is compatible with the fiber functor (Z, M, i). We apply this classification to SPT phases with Kramers-Wannier-like self-duality.

On dualizability of braided tensor categories

We study the question of dualizability in higher Morita categories of locally presentable tensor categories and braided tensor categories. Our main results are that the 3-category of rigid tensor categories with enough compact projectives is 2-dualizable, that the 4-category of rigid braided tensor categories with enough compact projectives is 3-dualizable, and that (in characteristic zero) the 4-category of braided multi-fusion categories is 4-dualizable. Via the cobordism hypothesis, this produces respectively two-, three- and four-dimensional framed local topological field theories. In particular, we produce a framed three-dimensional local topological field theory attached to the category of representations of a quantum group at any value of $q$ .

The Chromatic Brauer Category and Its Linear Representations

The Brauer category is a symmetric strict monoidal category that arises as a (horizontal) categorification of the Brauer algebras in the context of Banagl’s framework of positive topological field theories (TFTs). We introduce the chromatic Brauer category as an enrichment of the Brauer category in which the morphisms are component-wise labeled. Linear representations of the (chromatic) Brauer category are symmetric strict monoidal functors into the category of real vector spaces and linear maps equipped with the Schauenburg tensor product. We study representation theory of the (chromatic) Brauer category, and classify all its faithful linear representations. As an application, we use indices of fold lines to construct a refinement of Banagl’s concrete positive TFT based on fold maps into the plane.

M-theoretic genesis of topological phases

We present a novel M-theoretic approach of constructing and classifying anyonic topological phases of matter, by establishing a correspondence between (2+1)d topological field theories and non-hyperbolic 3-manifolds. In this construction, the topological phases emerge as macroscopic world-volume theories of M5-branes wrapped around certain types of non-hyperbolic 3-manifolds. We devise a systematic algorithm for identifying the emergent topological phases from topological data of the internal wrapped 3-manifolds. As a benchmark of our approach, we reproduce all the known unitary bosonic topological orders up to rank 4. Remarkably, our construction is not restricted to an unitary bosonic theory but it can also generate fermionic and/or non-unitary anyon models in an equivalent fashion. Hence, we pave a new route toward the classification of topological phases of matter.