Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Towards a Complete Classification of Symmetry-Protected Phases for Interacting Fermions in Two Dimensions

Meng Cheng, Zhen Bi, Yi‐Zhuang You, Zheng‐Cheng Gu

Published Jan 6, 2015• 9 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Recently, it has been shown that two-dimensional bosonic symmetry-protected topological(SPT) phases with on-site unitary symmetry $G$ can be completely classified by the group cohomology class $H^3(G, \mathrm{U}(1))$. Later, group super-cohomology class was proposed as a partial classification for SPT phases of interacting fermions. In this work, we revisit this problem based on the mathematical framework of $G$-extension of unitary braided tensor category(UBTC) theory. We first reproduce the partial classifications given by group super-cohomology, then we show that with an additional $H^1(G, \mathbb{Z}_2)$ structure, a complete classification of SPT phases for two-dimensional interacting fermion systems for a total symmetry group $G\times\mathbb{Z}_2^f$ can be achieved. We also discuss the classification of interacting fermionic SPT phases protected by time-reversal symmetry.

Related papers

Symmetry-protected topological orders for interacting fermions: Fermionic topological nonlinear σ models and a special group supercohomology theory

Zheng‐Cheng Gu, Xiao-Gang Wen

Symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped short-range-entangled quantum phases with a symmetry $G$, which can all be smoothly connected to the trivial product states if we break the symmetry. It has been shown that a large class of interacting bosonic SPT phases can be systematically described by group cohomology theory. In this paper, we introduce a (special) group supercohomology theory which is a generalization of the standard group cohomology theory. We show that a large class of short-range interacting fermionic SPT phases can be described by the group supercohomology theory. Using the data of supercocycles, we can obtain the ideal ground state wave function for the corresponding fermionic SPT phase. We can also obtain the bulk Hamiltonian that realizes the SPT phase, as well as the anomalous (i.e., non-onsite) symmetry for the boundary effective Hamiltonian. The anomalous symmetry on the boundary implies that the symmetric boundary must be gapless for (1+1)-dimensional [(1+1)D] boundary, and must be gapless or topologically ordered beyond (1+1)D. As an application of this general result, we construct a new SPT phase in three dimensions, for interacting fermionic superconductors with coplanar spin order (which have ${T}^{2}=1$ time-reversal ${Z}_{2}^{T}$ and fermion-number-parity ${Z}_{2}^{f}$ symmetries described by a full symmetry group ${Z}_{2}^{T}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{Z}_{2}^{f}$). Such a fermionic SPT state can neither be realized by free fermions nor by interacting bosons (formed by fermion pairs), and thus are not included in the $K$-theory classification for free fermions or group cohomology description for interacting bosons. We also construct three interacting fermionic SPT phases in two dimensions (2D) with a full symmetry group ${Z}_{2}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{Z}_{2}^{f}$. Those 2D fermionic SPT phases all have central-charge $c=1$ gapless edge excitations, if the symmetry is not broken.

arXiv:1201.2648•Physical Review B•Sep 23, 2014•306 citations

Symmetry protected topological orders and the cohomology class of their symmetry group

Xie Chen, Zheng‐Cheng Gu, Zheng-Xin Liu +1 more

Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped short-range-entangled quantum phases with a symmetry G. They can all be smoothly connected to the same trivial product state if we break the symmetry. The Haldane phase of spin-1 chain is the first example of SPT phase which is protected by SO(3) spin rotation symmetry. The topological insulator is another exam- ple of SPT phase which is protected by U(1) and time reversal symmetries. It has been shown that free fermion SPT phases can be systematically described by the K-theory. In this paper, we show that interacting bosonic SPT phases can be systematically described by group cohomology theory: distinct d-dimensional bosonic SPT phases with on-site symmetry G (which may contain anti-unitary time reversal symmetry) can be labeled by the elements in H^{1+d}[G, U_T(1)] - the Borel (1 + d)-group-cohomology classes of G over the G-module U_T(1). The boundary excitations of the non-trivial SPT phases are gapless or degenerate. Even more generally, we find that the different bosonic symmetry breaking short-range-entangled phases are labeled by the following three mathematical objects: (G_H, G_{\Psi}, H^{1+d}[G_{\Psi}, U_T(1)], where G_H is the symmetry group of the Hamiltonian and G_{\Psi} the symmetry group of the ground states.

•Jun 23, 2011•13 citations

Construction and classification of point-group symmetry-protected topological phases in two-dimensional interacting fermionic systems

Jian-Hao Zhang, Qing-Rui Wang, Shuo Yang +2 more

The construction and classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases in interacting bosonic and fermionic systems have been intensively studied in the past few years. Very recently, a complete classification and construction of space-group SPT phases were also proposed for interacting bosonic systems. In this Rapid Communication, we attempt to generalize this classification and construction scheme systematically into interacting fermion systems. In particular, we construct and classify point-group SPT phases for two-dimensional (2D) interacting fermion systems via lower-dimensional block-state decorations. We discover several intriguing fermionic SPT states that can only be realized in interacting fermion systems (i.e., not in free-fermion or bosonic SPT systems). Moreover, we also verify the recently conjectured crystalline equivalence principle for 2D interacting fermion systems. Finally, the potential experimental realization of these different classes of point-group SPT phases in 2D correlated superconductors is addressed.

arXiv:1909.05519•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Mar 5, 2020•29 citations

Classification of symmetry-protected topological many-body localized phases in one dimension.

Amos Chan, Thorsten B. Wahl

We provide a classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of many-body localized (MBL) spin and fermionic systems in one dimension. For spin systems, using tensor networks we show that all eigenstates of these phases have the same topological index as defined for SPT ground states. For unitary on-site symmetries, the MBL phases are thus labeled by the elements of the second cohomology group of the symmetry group. A similar classification is obtained for anti-unitary on-site symmetries, time-reversal symmetry being a special case with a [Formula: see text] classification (see [Wahl 2018 Phys. Rev. B 98 054204]). For the classification of fermionic MBL phases, we propose a fermionic tensor network diagrammatic formulation. We find that fermionic MBL systems with an (anti-)unitary symmetry are classified by the elements of the (generalized) second cohomology group if parity is included into the symmetry group. However, our approach misses a [Formula: see text] topological index expected from the classification of fermionic SPT ground states. Finally, we show that all found phases are stable to arbitrary symmetry-preserving local perturbations. Conversely, different topological phases must be separated by a transition marked by delocalized eigenstates. Finally, we demonstrate that the classification of spin systems is complete in the sense that there cannot be any additional topological indices pertaining to the properties of individual eigenstates, but there can be additional topological indices that further classify Hamiltonians.

•May 18, 2020•8 citations

General group super-cohomology theory of fermionic symmetry-protected topological phases

Qing-Rui Wang, Zheng‐Cheng Gu

The classification and lattice model construction of symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases in interacting fermion systems are very interesting but challenging. In this paper, we give a systematic fixed point wave function construction of fermionic SPT (FSPT) states for generic fermionic symmetry group $G_f=\mathbb{Z}_2^f \times_{\omega_2} G_b$ which is a central extension of bosonic symmetry group $G_b$ (may contain time reversal symmetry) by the fermion parity symmetry group $\mathbb{Z}_2^f = \{1,P_f\}$. Our construction is based on the concept of equivalence class of finite depth fermionic symmetric local unitary (FSLU) transformations and decorating symmetry domain wall picture, subjected to certain obstructions. We will also discuss the systematical construction and classification of boundary anomalous SPT (ASPT) states which leads to a trivialization of the corresponding bulk FSPT states. Thus, we conjecture that the obstruction-free and trivialization-free constructions naturally lead to a classification of FSPT phases. Each fixed-point wave function admits an exactly solvable commuting-projector Hamiltonian. We believe that our classification scheme can be generalized to point/space group symmetry as well as continuum Lie group symmetry.

•Nov 1, 2018•0 citations

Classification of symmetry-protected topological many-body localized phases in one dimension

Amos Chan, Thorsten B Wahl

We provide a classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of many-body localized (MBL) spin and fermionic systems in one dimension. For spin systems, using tensor networks we show that all eigenstates of these phases have the same topological index as defined for SPT ground states. For unitary on-site symmetries, the MBL phases are thus labeled by the elements of the second cohomology group of the symmetry group. A similar classification is obtained for anti-unitary on-site symmetries, time-reversal symmetry being a special case with a [Formula: see text] classification (see [Wahl 2018 Phys. Rev. B 98 054204]). For the classification of fermionic MBL phases, we propose a fermionic tensor network diagrammatic formulation. We find that fermionic MBL systems with an (anti-)unitary symmetry are classified by the elements of the (generalized) second cohomology group if parity is included into the symmetry group. However, our approach misses a [Formula: see text] topological index expected from the classification of fermionic SPT ground states. Finally, we show that all found phases are stable to arbitrary symmetry-preserving local perturbations. Conversely, different topological phases must be separated by a transition marked by delocalized eigenstates. Finally, we demonstrate that the classification of spin systems is complete in the sense that there cannot be any additional topological indices pertaining to the properties of individual eigenstates, but there can be additional topological indices that further classify Hamiltonians.

arXiv:1808.05656•Journal of Physics Condensed Matter•Mar 11, 2020•12 citations
Recently, it has been shown that two-dimensional bosonic symmetry-protected topological(SPT) phases with on-site unitary symmetry GGG can be completely classified by the group cohomology class H3(G,U(1))H^3(G, \mathrm{U}(1))H3(G,U(1)). Later, group super-cohomology class was proposed as a partial classification for SPT phases of interacting fermions. In this work, we revisit this problem based on the mathematical framework of GGG-extension of unitary braided tensor category(UBTC) theory. We first reproduce the partial classifications given by group super-cohomology, then we show that with an additional H1(G,Z2)H^1(G, \mathbb{Z}_2)H1(G,Z2​) structure, a complete classification of SPT phases for two-dimensional interacting fermion systems for a total symmetry group G×Z2fG\times\mathbb{Z}_2^fG×Z2f​ can be achieved. We also discuss the classification of interacting fermionic SPT phases protected by time-reversal symmetry.
Symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped short-range-entangled quantum phases with a symmetry GGG, which can all be smoothly connected to the trivial product states if we break the symmetry. It has been shown that a large class of interacting bosonic SPT phases can be systematically described by group cohomology theory. In this paper, we introduce a (special) group supercohomology theory which is a generalization of the standard group cohomology theory. We show that a large class of short-range interacting fermionic SPT phases can be described by the group supercohomology theory. Using the data of supercocycles, we can obtain the ideal ground state wave function for the corresponding fermionic SPT phase. We can also obtain the bulk Hamiltonian that realizes the SPT phase, as well as the anomalous (i.e., non-onsite) symmetry for the boundary effective Hamiltonian. The anomalous symmetry on the boundary implies that the symmetric boundary must be gapless for (1+1)-dimensional [(1+1)D] boundary, and must be gapless or topologically ordered beyond (1+1)D. As an application of this general result, we construct a new SPT phase in three dimensions, for interacting fermionic superconductors with coplanar spin order (which have T2=1{T}^{2}=1T2=1 time-reversal Z2T{Z}_{2}^{T}Z2T​ and fermion-number-parity Z2f{Z}_{2}^{f}Z2f​ symmetries described by a full symmetry group ${Z}_{2}^{T}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{Z}_{2}^{f}$). Such a fermionic SPT state can neither be realized by free fermions nor by interacting bosons (formed by fermion pairs), and thus are not included in the KKK-theory classification for free fermions or group cohomology description for interacting bosons. We also construct three interacting fermionic SPT phases in two dimensions (2D) with a full symmetry group ${Z}_{2}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{Z}_{2}^{f}$. Those 2D fermionic SPT phases all have central-charge c=1c=1c=1 gapless edge excitations, if the symmetry is not broken.
Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped short-range-entangled quantum phases with a symmetry G. They can all be smoothly connected to the same trivial product state if we break the symmetry. The Haldane phase of spin-1 chain is the first example of SPT phase which is protected by SO(3) spin rotation symmetry. The topological insulator is another exam- ple of SPT phase which is protected by U(1) and time reversal symmetries. It has been shown that free fermion SPT phases can be systematically described by the K-theory. In this paper, we show that interacting bosonic SPT phases can be systematically described by group cohomology theory: distinct d-dimensional bosonic SPT phases with on-site symmetry G (which may contain anti-unitary time reversal symmetry) can be labeled by the elements in H^{1+d}[G, U_T(1)] - the Borel (1 + d)-group-cohomology classes of G over the G-module U_T(1). The boundary excitations of the non-trivial SPT phases are gapless or degenerate. Even more generally, we find that the different bosonic symmetry breaking short-range-entangled phases are labeled by the following three mathematical objects: (G_H, G_{\Psi}, H^{1+d}[G_{\Psi}, U_T(1)], where G_H is the symmetry group of the Hamiltonian and G_{\Psi} the symmetry group of the ground states.
The construction and classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases in interacting bosonic and fermionic systems have been intensively studied in the past few years. Very recently, a complete classification and construction of space-group SPT phases were also proposed for interacting bosonic systems. In this Rapid Communication, we attempt to generalize this classification and construction scheme systematically into interacting fermion systems. In particular, we construct and classify point-group SPT phases for two-dimensional (2D) interacting fermion systems via lower-dimensional block-state decorations. We discover several intriguing fermionic SPT states that can only be realized in interacting fermion systems (i.e., not in free-fermion or bosonic SPT systems). Moreover, we also verify the recently conjectured crystalline equivalence principle for 2D interacting fermion systems. Finally, the potential experimental realization of these different classes of point-group SPT phases in 2D correlated superconductors is addressed.
We provide a classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of many-body localized (MBL) spin and fermionic systems in one dimension. For spin systems, using tensor networks we show that all eigenstates of these phases have the same topological index as defined for SPT ground states. For unitary on-site symmetries, the MBL phases are thus labeled by the elements of the second cohomology group of the symmetry group. A similar classification is obtained for anti-unitary on-site symmetries, time-reversal symmetry being a special case with a [Formula: see text] classification (see [Wahl 2018 Phys. Rev. B 98 054204]). For the classification of fermionic MBL phases, we propose a fermionic tensor network diagrammatic formulation. We find that fermionic MBL systems with an (anti-)unitary symmetry are classified by the elements of the (generalized) second cohomology group if parity is included into the symmetry group. However, our approach misses a [Formula: see text] topological index expected from the classification of fermionic SPT ground states. Finally, we show that all found phases are stable to arbitrary symmetry-preserving local perturbations. Conversely, different topological phases must be separated by a transition marked by delocalized eigenstates. Finally, we demonstrate that the classification of spin systems is complete in the sense that there cannot be any additional topological indices pertaining to the properties of individual eigenstates, but there can be additional topological indices that further classify Hamiltonians.
The classification and lattice model construction of symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases in interacting fermion systems are very interesting but challenging. In this paper, we give a systematic fixed point wave function construction of fermionic SPT (FSPT) states for generic fermionic symmetry group Gf=Z2f×ω2GbG_f=\mathbb{Z}_2^f \times_{\omega_2} G_bGf​=Z2f​×ω2​​Gb​ which is a central extension of bosonic symmetry group GbG_bGb​ (may contain time reversal symmetry) by the fermion parity symmetry group Z2f={1,Pf}\mathbb{Z}_2^f = \{1,P_f\}Z2f​={1,Pf​}. Our construction is based on the concept of equivalence class of finite depth fermionic symmetric local unitary (FSLU) transformations and decorating symmetry domain wall picture, subjected to certain obstructions. We will also discuss the systematical construction and classification of boundary anomalous SPT (ASPT) states which leads to a trivialization of the corresponding bulk FSPT states. Thus, we conjecture that the obstruction-free and trivialization-free constructions naturally lead to a classification of FSPT phases. Each fixed-point wave function admits an exactly solvable commuting-projector Hamiltonian. We believe that our classification scheme can be generalized to point/space group symmetry as well as continuum Lie group symmetry.
We provide a classification of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of many-body localized (MBL) spin and fermionic systems in one dimension. For spin systems, using tensor networks we show that all eigenstates of these phases have the same topological index as defined for SPT ground states. For unitary on-site symmetries, the MBL phases are thus labeled by the elements of the second cohomology group of the symmetry group. A similar classification is obtained for anti-unitary on-site symmetries, time-reversal symmetry being a special case with a [Formula: see text] classification (see [Wahl 2018 Phys. Rev. B 98 054204]). For the classification of fermionic MBL phases, we propose a fermionic tensor network diagrammatic formulation. We find that fermionic MBL systems with an (anti-)unitary symmetry are classified by the elements of the (generalized) second cohomology group if parity is included into the symmetry group. However, our approach misses a [Formula: see text] topological index expected from the classification of fermionic SPT ground states. Finally, we show that all found phases are stable to arbitrary symmetry-preserving local perturbations. Conversely, different topological phases must be separated by a transition marked by delocalized eigenstates. Finally, we demonstrate that the classification of spin systems is complete in the sense that there cannot be any additional topological indices pertaining to the properties of individual eigenstates, but there can be additional topological indices that further classify Hamiltonians.