PIRSA:15040088

Symmetry, Defects, and Gauging of Topological Phases

Cheng, M. (2015). Symmetry, Defects, and Gauging of Topological Phases. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/15040088

Cheng, Meng. Symmetry, Defects, and Gauging of Topological Phases. Perimeter Institute, Apr. 07, 2015, https://pirsa.org/15040088 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:15040088,
            doi = {10.48660/15040088},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/15040088},
            author = {Cheng, Meng},
            keywords = {Condensed Matter},
            language = {en},
            title = {Symmetry, Defects, and Gauging of Topological Phases},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2015},
            month = {apr},
            note = {PIRSA:15040088 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Meng Cheng

Microsoft Station Q

Talk number
PIRSA:15040088
Collection
Talk Type
Subject
Abstract

We examine the interplay of symmetry and topological order in 2+1D topological phases of matter. We define the topological symmetry group, characterizing symmetry of the emergent topological quantum numbers, and describe its relation with the microscopic symmetry of the physical system.

We then derive a general classification of symmetry fractionalization in topological phases, including phases that are non-Abelian and symmetries that permute the quasiparticle types and/or are anti-unitary. We develop a general algebraic theory of extrinsic defects (fluxes) associated with elements of the symmetry group, which provides a general classification of symmetry-enriched topological phases derived from a topological phase of matter with symmetry. We also examine the promotion of the global symmetry to a local gauge invariance, wherein the extrinsic defects are turned into deconfined quasiparticle excitations, which results in a different topological phase.