We show that the Ocneanu algebra of quantum symmetries, for an ADE diagram (or for higher Coxeter-Dynkin systems, like the Di Francesco - Zuber system) is, in most cases, deduced from the structure of the modular T matrix in the A series. We recover in this way the (known) quantum symmetries of su(2) diagrams and illustrate our method by studying those associated with the three genuine exceptional diagrams of type su(3), namely E5, E9 and E21. This also provides the shortest way to the determination of twisted partition functions in boundary conformal field theory with defect lines.
We show that the Ocneanu algebra of quantum symmetries, for an ADE diagram (or for higher Coxeter-Dynkin systems, like the Di Francesco - Zuber system) is, in most cases, deduced from the structure of the modular T matrix in the A series. We recover in this way the (known) quantum symmetries of su(2) diagrams and illustrate our method by studying those associated with the three genuine exceptional diagrams of type su(3), namely E5, E9 and E21. This also provides the shortest way to the determination of twisted partition functions in boundary conformal field theory with defect lines.
We define generalised chiral vertex operators covariant under the Ocneanu “double triangle algebra” A, a novel quantum symmetry intrinsic to a given rational 2-d conformal field theory. This provides a chiral approach, which, unlike the conventional one, makes explicit various algebraic structures encountered previously in the study of these theories and of the associated critical lattice models, and thus allows their unified treatment. The triangular Ocneanu cells, the 3j-symbols of the weak Hopf algebra A, reappear in several guises. With A and its dual algebra  one associates a pair of graphs, G and ˜G. While G are known to encode complete sets of conformal boundary states, the Ocneanu graphs ˜G classify twisted torus partition functions. The fusion algebra of the twist operators provides the data determining Â. The study of bulk field correlators in the presence of twists reveals that the Ocneanu graph quantum symmetry gives also an information on the field operator algebra.
We study integrable realizations of conformal twisted boundary conditions for s ℓ(2) unitary minimal models on a torus. These conformal field theories are realized as the continuum scaling limit of critical G = A , D , E lattice models with positive spectral parameter u > 0 and Coxeter number g . Integrable seams are constructed by fusing blocks of elementary local face weights. The usual A -type fusions are labelled by the Kac labels ( r , s ) and are associated with the Verlinde fusion algebra. We introduce a new type of fusion in the two braid limits u → ±i ∞ associated with the graph fusion algebra, and labelled by nodes a , b ∊ G respectively. When combined with automorphisms, they lead to general integrable seams labelled by x = ( r , a , b , κ) ∊ ( A g −2 , H , H , 2 ) where H is the graph G for type I theories and its parent for type II theories. Identifying our construction labels with the conformal labels of Petkova and Zuber, we find that the integrable seams are in one-to-one correspondence with the conformal seams. The distinct seams are thus associated with the nodes of the Ocneanu quantum graph. The quantum symmetries and twisted partition functions are checked numerically for | G | ≤ 6. We also show, in the case of D 2ℓ , that the non-commutativity of the Ocneanu algebra of seams arises because the automorphisms do not commute with the fusions.
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.
We investigate critical restricted solid-on-solid models associated to Dynkin diagrams of type A, D and E, with fixed, periodic and twisted periodic boundary conditions. These models are endowed with an action of the diagrams of the Temperley-Lieb category. For each model, we obtain the decomposition of the state space as a direct sum of irreducible modules over the Temperley-Lieb algebra TLN(β) or its periodic incarnation EPTLN(β). This allows us to recover the known conformal partition functions for these models in the continuum scaling limit. For each irreducible factor arising in the decompositions, we define an associated local operator on the lattice, which behaves like a connectivity operator. Using knowledge from the Temperley-Lieb representation theory at roots of unity, we show that these operators satisfy certain linear difference relations, which are lattice counterparts of the singular-vector relations in conformal field theory.
U(1)m modular invariants, N=2 minimal models, and the quantum Hall effect
The problem of finding all possible effective field theories for the quantum Hall effect is closely related to the problem of classifying all possible modular invariant partition functions for the algebra u(1)m, as was argued recently by Cappelli and Zemba. This latter problem is also a natural one from the perspective of conformal field theory. In this paper we completely solve this problem, expressing the answer in terms of self-dual lattices, or equivalently, rational points on the dual Grassmannian Gm,m(R)∗. We also find all modular invariant partition functions for su(2)oplusu(1)m, from which we obtain the classification of all N=2 superconformal minimal models. The `A-D-E classification' of these, though often quoted in the literature, turns out to be a very coarse-grained one: e.g. associated with the names E6,E7,E8, respectively, are precisely 20,30,24 different partition functions. As a by-product of our analysis, we find that the list of modular invariants for su(2) lengthens surprisingly little when commutation with T -- i.e. invariance under taumapstotau+1 -- is ignored: the other conditions are far more essential.