We use the language of von Neumann subfactors to investigate non-invertible symmetries in two dimensions. A fusion categorical symmetry \mathcal{C} ๐ , its module category \mathcal{M} โณ , and a gauging labeled by an algebra object \mathcal{A} ๐ are encoded in the bipartite principal graph of a subfactor. The dual principal graph captures the quantum symmetry \mathcal{C}' ๐ โฒ obtained by gauging \mathcal{A} ๐ in \mathcal{C} ๐ , as well as a reverse gauging back to \mathcal{C} ๐ . From a given subfactor N \subset M N โ 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 use the language of von Neumann subfactors to investigate non-invertible symmetries in two dimensions. A fusion categorical symmetry \mathcal{C} ๐ , its module category \mathcal{M} โณ , and a gauging labeled by an algebra object \mathcal{A} ๐ are encoded in the bipartite principal graph of a subfactor. The dual principal graph captures the quantum symmetry \mathcal{C}' ๐ โฒ obtained by gauging \mathcal{A} ๐ in \mathcal{C} ๐ , as well as a reverse gauging back to \mathcal{C} ๐ . From a given subfactor N \subset M N โ 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
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) Rep H for 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 Hโ H โ . 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(โ[ 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(H8โ) 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.
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 โค 2 ร โค 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 = 2โ 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 โค 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 ร Monster CFT are also invariant under gauging the Rep( H 8 ) symmetry.
We present a framework to systematically investigate higher categorical symmetries in two-dimensional spin systems. Though exotic, such generalised symmetries have been shown to naturally arise as dual symmetries upon gauging invertible symmetries. Our framework relies on an approach to dualities whereby dual quantum lattice models only differ in a choice of module 2-category over some input fusion 2-category. Given an arbitrary two-dimensional spin system with an ordinary symmetry, we explain how to perform the (twisted) gauging of any of its sub-symmetries. We then demonstrate that the resulting model has a symmetry structure encoded into the Morita dual of the input fusion 2-category with respect to the corresponding module 2-category. We exemplify this approach by specialising to certain finite group generalisations of the transverse-field Ising model, for which we explicitly define lattice symmetry operators organised into fusion 2-categories of higher representations of higher groups.
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, โค 3 )). We also discuss more general examples of decomposition in two-dimensional gauge theories with trivially-acting gauged noninvertible symmetries.
We study generalized discrete symmetries of quantum field theories in 1+1D generated by topological defect lines with no inverse. In particular, we describe 't Hooft anomalies and classify gapped phases stabilized by these symmetries, including new 1+1D topological phases. The algebra of these operators is not a group but rather is described by their fusion ring and crossing relations, captured algebraically as a fusion category. Such data defines a Turaev-Viro/Levin-Wen model in 2+1D, while a 1+1D system with this fusion category acting as a global symmetry defines a boundary condition. This is akin to gauging a discrete global symmetry at the boundary of Dijkgraaf-Witten theory. We describe how to "ungauge" the fusion category symmetry in these boundary conditions and separate the symmetry-preserving phases from the symmetry-breaking ones. For Tambara-Yamagami categories and their generalizations, which are associated with Kramers-Wannier-like self-dualities under orbifolding, we develop gauge theoretic techniques which simplify the analysis. We include some examples of CFTs with fusion category symmetry derived from Kramers-Wannier-like dualities as an appetizer for the Part II companion paper.
A cluster of recent preprints in strongly correlated systems converges on a structural pattern worth investigating: deconfined quantum critical points (DQCPs) and beyond-Landau phase transitions in one and two spatial dimensions can be systematically organized โ and in some cases *derived* โ by tracking what happens to lattice anomalies and symmetry categories when internal symmetries are gauged. This synthesis draws primarily from cond-mat.str-el sources, with supporting material from cond-mat.mes-hall and cond-mat.dis-nn, and argues the following heuristic reading (not a derivation): the non-invertible symmetries that emerge after gauging anomalous onsite symmetries encode, in their fusion category structure, the full universality data of the associated critical point โ including whether the transition is type-I or type-II DQCP. Concretely, we synthesize five findings: (1) the spectral-sequence classification of Lieb-Schultz-Mattis (LSM) anomalies into Eโ1,2โ versus Eโ2,1โ types, which predicts whether the dual symmetry after gauging is invertible or non-invertible [corpus:arxiv:2606.06343]; (2) the demonstration that Rep(D8โ) and Rep(H8โ) crystalline categorical symmetries, despite sharing fusion rings, differ in F-symbols and therefore define inequivalent DQCP universality classes [corpus:arxiv:2606.05856]; (3) the introduction of twin condensable algebras and twin phases โ inequivalent phases sharing anyon content but differing in algebra structure โ as a source of intrinsically beyond-Landau transitions [corpus:arxiv:2605.31602, corpus:arxiv:2605.31601]; (4) the explicit lattice construction of non-invertible symmetry-breaking phases with local order parameters obeying generalized algebraic structures, and their duality to DQCPs of invertible symmetries [corpus:arxiv:2605.27672]; and (5) the tensor-network derivation that string order parameters in 1D organize into Lagrangian algebras in the Drinfel'd center of the symmetry category [corpus:arxiv:2605.27193]. A concrete falsification path: if two DQCPs with the same fusion ring but different F-symbols can be shown numerically (e.g., via DMRG central-charge extraction and operator-content comparison) to lie in identical universality classes, the thesis that F-symbols carry physical content distinguishing transitions would be falsified. --- Authorship: Saluca Agentic AI Research Team (Saluca LLC). AI-drafted from arXiv preprint corpus on the date in the filename. Cited arXiv preprints: 2605.27166, 2605.27193, 2605.27672, 2605.28688, 2605.28794, 2605.29745, 2605.29875, 2605.30421, 2605.31185, 2605.31540, 2605.31601, 2605.31602, 2606.04651, 2606.04748, 2606.04958, 2606.05845, 2606.05856, 2606.06343, 2606.06412, 2606.06432, 2606.06490