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(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 defects defines a higher category, and can be viewed as an emergent higher symmetry. This plays a crucial role both in the classification of phases of matter and the possible fault-tolerant logical operations in topological quantum error-correcting codes. In this paper, we study several examples of such higher codimension defects from distinct perspectives. We mainly study a class of invertible codimension-2 topological defects, which we refer to as twist strings. We provide a number of general constructions for twist strings, in terms of gauging lower dimensional invertible phases, layer constructions, and condensation defects. We study some special examples in the context of \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 gauge theory with fermionic charges, in \mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 × ℤ 2 gauge theory with bosonic charges, and also in non-Abelian discrete gauge theories based on dihedral ( D_n D n ) and alternating ( A_6 A 6 ) groups. The intersection between twist strings and Abelian flux loops sources Abelian point charges, which defines an H^4 H 4 cohomology class that characterizes part of an underlying 3-group symmetry of the topological order. The equations involving background gauge fields for the 3-group symmetry have been explicitly written down for various cases. We also study examples of twist strings interacting with non-Abelian flux loops (defining part of a non-invertible higher symmetry), examples of non-invertible codimension-2 defects, and examples of the interplay of codimension-2 defects with codimension-1 defects. We also find an example of geometric, not fully topological, twist strings in (3+1)D A_6 A 6 gauge theory.
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Generalized symmetries in singularity-free nonlinear σ models and their disordered phases
We study the nonlinear $$\sigma$$-model in $${(d+1)}$$-dimensional spacetime with connected target space $$K$$ and show that, at energy scales below singular field comfigurations (such as vortices), it has an emergent non-invertible higher symmetry. The symmetry defects of the emergent symmetry are described by the $$d$$-representations of a discrete $$d$$-group $$\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ (i.e. the emergent symmetry is the dual of the invertible $$d$$-group $$\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ symmetry). The $$d$$-group $$\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ is determined such that its classifying space $$B\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ is given by the $$d$$-th Postnikov stage of $$K$$. In $(2+1)$D and for finite $$\mathbb{G}^{(2)}$$, this symmetry is always holo-equivalent to an invertible $${0}$$-form---ordinary---symmetry with potential 't Hooft anomaly. The singularity-free disordered phase of the nonlinear $$\sigma$$-model spontaneously breaks this symmetry, and when $$\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ is finite, it is described by the deconfined phase of $$\mathbb{G}^{(d)}$$ higher gauge theory. We consider examples of such disordered phases. We focus on a singularity-free $S^2$ nonlinear $$\sigma$$-model in $${(3+1)}$$D and show that it has an emergent non-invertible higher symmetry. As a result, its disordered phase is described by axion electrodynamics and has two gapless modes corresponding to a photon and a massless axion. Notably, this non-perturbative result is different from the results obtained using the $S^N$ and $$\mathbb{C}P^{N-1}$$ nonlinear $$\si$$-models in the large-$$N$$ limit.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2022428
- PAR ID:
- 10654132
- Publisher / Repository:
- APS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review B
- Volume:
- 110
- ISSN:
- 2469-9950
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 195149
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.110.195149
