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arXiv:2310.19867 · Journal of High Energy Physics

Self-duality under gauging a non-invertible symmetry

Yichul Choi, Da-Chuan Lu, Zhengdi Sun

Published Jan 24, 2024• 40 citations
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Abstract

A bstract We discuss two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) which are invariant under gauging a non-invertible global symmetry. At every point on the orbifold branch of c = 1 CFTs, it is known that the theory is self-dual under gauging a ℤ 2 × ℤ 2 symmetry, and has Rep( H 8 ) and Rep( D 8 ) fusion category symmetries as a result. We find that gauging the entire Rep( H 8 ) fusion category symmetry maps the orbifold theory at radius R to that at radius 2/ R . At R = $$ \sqrt{2} $$ 2 , which corresponds to two decoupled Ising CFTs (Ising 2 in short), the theory is self-dual under gauging the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry. This implies the existence of a topological defect line in the Ising 2 CFT obtained from half-space gauging of the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry, which commutes with the c = 1 Virasoro algebra but does not preserve the fully extended chiral algebra. We bootstrap its action on the c = 1 Virasoro primary operators, and find that there are no relevant or marginal operators preserving it. Mathematically, the new topological line combines with the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry to form a bigger fusion category which is a ℤ 2 -extension of Rep( H 8 ). We solve the pentagon equations including the additional topological line and find 8 solutions, where two of them are realized in the Ising 2 CFT. Finally, we show that the torus partition functions of the Monster 2 CFT and Ising × Monster CFT are also invariant under gauging the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry.

DOI
10.1007/jhep01(2024)142

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A bstract We discuss two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) which are invariant under gauging a non-invertible global symmetry. At every point on the orbifold branch of c = 1 CFTs, it is known that the theory is self-dual under gauging a ℤ 2 × ℤ 2 symmetry, and has Rep( H 8 ) and Rep( D 8 ) fusion category symmetries as a result. We find that gauging the entire Rep( H 8 ) fusion category symmetry maps the orbifold theory at radius R to that at radius 2/ R . At R = 2\sqrt{2}2​ 2 , which corresponds to two decoupled Ising CFTs (Ising 2 in short), the theory is self-dual under gauging the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry. This implies the existence of a topological defect line in the Ising 2 CFT obtained from half-space gauging of the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry, which commutes with the c = 1 Virasoro algebra but does not preserve the fully extended chiral algebra. We bootstrap its action on the c = 1 Virasoro primary operators, and find that there are no relevant or marginal operators preserving it. Mathematically, the new topological line combines with the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry to form a bigger fusion category which is a ℤ 2 -extension of Rep( H 8 ). We solve the pentagon equations including the additional topological line and find 8 solutions, where two of them are realized in the Ising 2 CFT. Finally, we show that the torus partition functions of the Monster 2 CFT and Ising × Monster CFT are also invariant under gauging the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry.
A bstract In this paper we discuss gauging noninvertible zero-form symmetries in two dimensions. We specialize to certain gaugeable cases, specifically, fusion categories of the form Rep(H) \textrm{Rep}\left(\mathcal{H}\right) Rep(H) Rep H for H \mathcal{H} H H a suitable Hopf algebra (which includes the special case Rep( G ) for G a finite group). We also specialize to the case that the fusion category is multiplicity-free. We discuss how to construct a modular-invariant partition function from a choice of Frobenius algebra structure on H∗ {\mathcal{H}}^{\ast } H∗ H ∗ . We discuss how ordinary G orbifolds for finite groups G are a special case of the construction, corresponding to the fusion category Vec( G ) = Rep(ℂ[ G ] * ). For the cases Rep( S 3 ), Rep( D 4 ), and Rep( Q 8 ), we construct the crossing kernels for general intertwiner maps. We explicitly compute partition functions in the examples of Rep( S 3 ), Rep( D 4 ), Rep( Q 8 ), and Rep(H8) \textrm{Rep}\left({\mathcal{H}}_8\right) Rep(H8​) Rep H 8 , and discuss applications in c = 1 CFTs. We also discuss decomposition in the special case that the entire noninvertible symmetry group acts trivially.
We use the language of von Neumann subfactors to investigate non-invertible symmetries in two dimensions. A fusion categorical symmetry \mathcal{C} 𝒞 , its module category \mathcal{M} ℳ , and a gauging labeled by an algebra object \mathcal{A} 𝒜 are encoded in the bipartite principal graph of a subfactor. The dual principal graph captures the quantum symmetry \mathcal{C}' 𝒞 ′ obtained by gauging \mathcal{A} 𝒜 in \mathcal{C} 𝒞 , as well as a reverse gauging back to \mathcal{C} 𝒞 . From a given subfactor N \subset M N ⊂ M , we derive a quiver diagram that encodes the representations of the associated non-invertible symmetry. We show how this framework provides necessary conditions for admissible gaugings, enabling the construction of generalized orbifold groupoids. To illustrate this strategy, we present three examples: Rep (D_4) ( D 4 ) as a warm-up, the higher-multiplicity case Rep (A_4) ( A 4 ) with its associated generalized orbifold groupoid and triality symmetry, and Rep (A_5) ( A 5 ) , where A_5 A 5 is the smallest non-solvable finite group. For applications to gapless systems, we embed these generalized gaugings as global manipulations on the conformal manifolds of c=1 c = 1 CFTs and uncover new self-dualities in the exceptional SU(2)_1/A_5 S U ( 2 ) 1 / A
We extend the construction of the T-duality symmetry for the 2d compact boson to arbitrary values of the radius by including topological manipulations such as gauging continuous symmetries with flat connections. We show that the entire circle branch of the c=1 c = 1 conformal manifold can be generated using these manipulations, resulting in a non-invertible T-duality symmetry when the gauging sends the radius to its inverse value. Using the recently proposed symmetry TFT describing continuous global symmetries of the boundary theory, we identify the topological operator corresponding to these new T-duality symmetries as an open condensation defect of the bulk theory, constructed by (higher) gauging an \mathbb{R} ℝ subgroup of the bulk global symmetries. Notably, when the boundary theory is the compact boson with a rational square radius, this operator reduces to the familiar T-duality defect described by a Tambara-Yamagami fusion category. This construction thus naturally includes all possible discrete T-duality symmetries of the theory in a unified way.
A bstract In this paper we discuss gauging noninvertible zero-form symmetries in two dimensions, extending our previous work. Specifically, in this work we discuss more general gauged noninvertible symmetries in which the noninvertible symmetry is not multiplicity free, and discuss the case of Rep( A 4 ) in detail. We realize Rep( A 4 ) gaugings for the c = 1 CFT at the exceptional point in the moduli space and find new self-duality under gauging a certain non-group algebra object, leading to a larger noninvertible symmetry Rep(SL(2, ℤ 3 )). We also discuss more general examples of decomposition in two-dimensional gauge theories with trivially-acting gauged noninvertible symmetries.
Global symmetries can be generalised to transformations generated by topological operators, including cases in which the topological operator does not have an inverse. A family of such topological operators are intimately related to dualities via the procedure of half-space gauging. In this work we discuss the construction of non-invertible defects based on T-duality in two dimensions, generalising the well-known case of the free compact boson to any Non-Linear Sigma Model with Wess-Zumino term which is T-dualisable. This requires that the target space has an isometry with compact orbits that acts without fixed points. Our approach allows us to include target spaces without non-trivial 1-cycles, does not require the NLSM to be conformal, and when it is conformal it does not need to be rational; moreover, it highlights the microscopic origin of the topological terms that are responsible for the non-invertibility of the defect. An interesting class of examples are Wess-Zumino-Witten models, which are self-dual under a discrete gauging of a subgroup of the isometry symmetry and so host a topological defect line with Tambara-Yamagami fusion. Along the way, we discuss how the usual 0-form symmetries match across T-dual models in target spaces without 1-cycles, and how global obstructions can prevent locally conserved currents from giving rise to topological operators.
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