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arXiv:2009.01236 · Physical Review Letters

Solutions of Modular Bootstrap Constraints from Quantum Codes

Anatoly Y. Dymarsky, Alfred D. Shapere

Published Apr 21, 2021• 38 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Modular invariance imposes rigid constraints on the partition functions of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). Many fundamental results follow strictly from modular invariance and unitarity, giving rise to the numerical modular bootstrap program. Here we report on a way to relate a particular family of quantum error correcting codes to a family of "code CFTs," which forms a subset of the space of Narain CFTs. This correspondence reduces modular invariance of the 2D CFT partition function to a few simple algebraic relations obeyed by a multivariate polynomial characterizing the corresponding code. Using this correspondence, we construct many explicit examples of physically distinct isospectral theories, as well as many examples of nonholomorphic functions, which satisfy all the basic properties of a 2D CFT partition function, yet are not associated with any known CFT.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.126.161602

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Modular invariance imposes rigid constraints on the partition functions of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). Many fundamental results follow strictly from modular invariance and unitarity, giving rise to the numerical modular bootstrap program. Here we report on a way to relate a particular family of quantum error correcting codes to a family of "code CFTs," which forms a subset of the space of Narain CFTs. This correspondence reduces modular invariance of the 2D CFT partition function to a few simple algebraic relations obeyed by a multivariate polynomial characterizing the corresponding code. Using this correspondence, we construct many explicit examples of physically distinct isospectral theories, as well as many examples of nonholomorphic functions, which satisfy all the basic properties of a 2D CFT partition function, yet are not associated with any known CFT.
Abstract Code CFTs are 2d conformal field theories defined by error-correcting codes. Recently, Dymarsky and Shapere generalized the construction of code CFTs to include quantum error-correcting codes. In this paper, we explore this connection at higher genus. We prove that the higher-genus partition functions take the form of polynomials of higher-weight theta functions, and that the higher-genus modular group acts as simple linear transformations on these polynomials. We explain how to solve the modular constraints explicitly, which we do for genus 2. The result is that modular invariance at genus 1 and genus 2 is much more constraining than genus 1 alone. This allows us to drastically reduce the space of possible code CFTs. We also consider a number of examples of “isospectral theories” — CFTs with the same genus 1 partition function — and we find that they have different genus 2 partition functions. Finally, we make connection to some 2d CFTs known from the modular bootstrap. The n = 4 theory conjectured to have the largest possible gap in Virasoro characters, the SO(8) WZW model, is a code CFT, allowing us to give an expression for its genus 2 partition function. We also find some other known CFTs which are not code theories but whose partition functions satisfy the same simple polynomial ansatz as the code theories. This leads us to speculate about the usefulness of the code polynomial form beyond the study of code CFTs.
Abstract We construct a map between a class of codes over F4 and a family of non-rational Narain CFTs. This construction is complementary to a recently introduced relation between quantum stabilizer codes and a class of rational Narain theories. From the modular bootstrap point of view we formulate a polynomial ansatz for the partition function which reduces modular invariance to a handful of algebraic easy-to-solve constraints. For certain small values of central charge our construction yields optimal theories, i.e. those with the largest value of the spectral gap.
Two-dimensional Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) allow us to describe quantum field theories at critical points and in general systems without a characteristic scale. It is possible to implement such theories on topologically non-trivial surfaces. If we formulate a two-dimensional CFT on a toroidal surface, a new symmetry emerges known as modular invariance. This symmetry corresponds to the set of transformations that act without changing the toroidal surface, consequently, the partition function of the theory must remain invariant under these transformations. This invariance is used as a constraint by the modular bootstrap method to obtain information about the spectrum without using the Lagrangian and operator content of the theory. By imposing that the theory is consistent with modular symmetry, it is possible to determine the limits of the spectrum beyond which modular invariance can no longer be satisfied, thus constraining the space of admissible two-dimensional conformal field theories. To study CFTs that present discrete global symmetries, it is essential to introduce Topological Defect Lines (TDLs). These are one-dimensional, topologically invariant operators that implement the action of the symmetry group on the Hilbert space. The presence of TDLs modifies the topology of the system and introduces new partition functions associated with different symmetry sectors. Under modular transformations, the TDLs mix among themselves, and consequently, the corresponding partition functions also mix, thus promoting the modular constraint to a vector-valued condition. This formalism makes it possible to implement discrete symmetries also considering the possible presence of anomalies. The objective of this thesis is therefore to understand how discrete symmetries and anomalies affect the spectrum of a CFT. Based on the modular bootstrap framework developed by Lin and Shao for the Z2 symmetry, the analysis was first analytically extended to the Abelian case Z3. This was useful in extending the discussion to a more complex case, namely the non-Abelian symmetry S3. This extension constitutes the original theoretical contribution of the thesis, providing the explicit formulation of modular bootstrap equations for CFTs with non-Abelian discrete symmetry. The analytical modular constraints were reformulated numerically, bridging the modular bootstrap framework with semidefinite programming in SDPB. This analysis paves the way for a numerical study based on convex optimization techniques to explore the constraints arising from modular bootstrap equations.
Abstract There is a rich connection between classical error-correcting codes, Euclidean lattices, and chiral conformal field theories. Here we show that quantum error-correcting codes, those of the stabilizer type, are related to Lorentzian lattices and non-chiral CFTs. More specifically, real self-dual stabilizer codes can be associated with even self-dual Lorentzian lattices, and thus define Narain CFTs. We dub the resulting theories code CFTs and study their properties. T-duality transformations of a code CFT, at the level of the underlying code, reduce to code equivalences. By means of such equivalences, any stabilizer code can be reduced to a graph code. We can therefore represent code CFTs by graphs. We study code CFTs with small central charge c = n ≤ 12, and find many interesting examples. Among them is a non-chiral E8 theory, which is based on the root lattice of E8 understood as an even self-dual Lorentzian lattice. By analyzing all graphs with n ≤ 8 nodes we find many pairs and triples of physically distinct isospectral theories. We also construct numerous modular invariant functions satisfying all the basic properties expected of the CFT partition function, yet which are not partition functions of any known CFTs. We consider the ensemble average over all code theories, calculate the corresponding partition function, and discuss its possible holographic interpretation. The paper is written in a self-contained manner, and includes an extensive pedagogical introduction and many explicit examples.
We develop a functional-analytic framework for modular constraints in two-dimensional conformal field theory based on the reflection symmetry [Formula: see text]. This symmetry isolates a natural reflection-odd subspace of [Formula: see text] in which all deviations from modular self-duality live. For any modular-invariant partition function, the vacuum-heavy decomposition determines a uniquely defined reflection-odd modular defect [Formula: see text] whose completed Mellin transform satisfies an odd functional equation. Pairing D with compactly supported reflection-odd test functions yields a structured hierarchy of linear functionals. Under mild assumptions on the light spectrum, these pairings obey positivity conditions that lead to smeared Cardy inequalities comparing the heavy spectrum to the Cardy density through positive Laplace kernels. We also show that the vanishing of all such pairings is equivalent to averaged Cardy saturation in [Formula: see text], giving a complete reflection-odd characterization of modular self-duality. This provides a simple and flexible functional basis for modular bootstrap analyses, replacing ad hoc constructions with a unified reflection-odd hierarchy suited for both analytic arguments and numerical implementation.