Abstract We classify condensable E 2-algebras in a modular tensor category C up to 2-Morita equivalence. Physically, this classification provides an explicit criterion to determine when distinct condensable E 2-algebras yield the same condensed topological phase under a two-dimensional anyon condensation process. The relations between different condensable algebras can be translated into their module categories, interpreted physically as gapped domain walls in topological orders. As concrete examples, we interpret the categories of quantum doubles of finite groups and examples beyond group symmetries. Our framework fully elucidates the interplay among condensable E 1-algebras in C , condensable E 2-algebras in C up to 2-Morita equivalence, and Lagrangian algebras in C ⊠ C ¯ .
We classify
E2 condensable algebras in a modular tensor category
C up to 2-Morita equivalence. From a physical perspective, this is equivalent to providing a criterion for when different
E2 condensable algebras result in the same condensed topological phase in a 2d anyon condensation process. By considering the left and right centers of
E1 condensable algebras in
C, we exhaust all 2-Morita equivalent
E2 condensable algebras in
C and provide a method to recover
E1 condensable algebras from 2-Morita equivalent
E2 condensable algebras. We also prove that intersecting Lagrangian algebras in
C⊠C with its left and right components generates all 2-Morita equivalent
E2 condensable algebras in
C. This paper establishes a complete interplay between
E1 condensable algebras in
C, 2-Morita equivalent
E2 condensable algebras in
C, and Lagrangian algebras in
C⊠C. The relations between different condensable algebras can be translated into their module categories, which correspond to domain walls in topological orders. We introduce a two-step condensation process and study the fusion of domain walls. We also show that an automorphism of an
E2 condensable algebra may lead to a nontrivial braided autoequivalence in the condensed phase. As concrete examples, we interpret the categories of quantum doubles of finite groups. We also discuss examples beyond group symmetries. Moreover, our results can be generalized to Witt-equivalent modular tensor categories.
Instead of studying anyon condensation in various concrete models, we take a bootstrap approach by considering an abstract situation, in which an anyon condensation happens in a 2-d topological phase with anyonic excitations given by a modular tensor category C; and the anyons in the condensed phase are given by another modular tensor category D. By a bootstrap analysis, we derive a relation between anyons in D-phase and anyons in C-phase from natural physical requirements. It turns out that the vacuum (or the tensor unit) A in D-phase is necessary to be a connected commutative separable algebra in C, and the category D is equivalent to the category of local A-modules as modular tensor categories. This condensation also produces a gapped domain wall with wall excitations given by the category of A-modules in C. A more general situation is also studied in this paper. We will also show how to determine such algebra A from the initial and final data. Multi-condensations and 1-d condensations will also be briefly discussed. Examples will be given in the toric code model, Kitaev quantum double models, Levin–Wen types of lattice models and some chiral topological phases.
Instead of constructing anyon condensation in various concrete models, we take a bootstrap approach by considering an abstract situation, in which an anyon condensation happens in a 2-d topological phase with anyonic excitations given by a modular tensor category C; and the anyons in the condensed phase are given by another modular tensor category D. By a bootstrap analysis, we derive a relations between anyons in D-phase and anyons in C-phase from natural physical requirements. It turns out that the vacuum (or the tensor unit) A in D-phase is necessary to be a connected commutative separable algebra in C, and the category D is equivalent to the category of local A-modules as modular tensor categories. This condensation also produces a gapped domain wall with wall excitations given by the category of A-modules in C. More general situation is also discussed in this paper. We will also show how to determine such algebra A from the initial and final data. Multi-condensations and 1-d condensations will also be briefly discussed. Examples will be given in the toric code model, Kitaev quantum double models, Levin-Wen types of lattice models and some chiral topological phases.
Condensable algebras in 2+1d non-chiral topological orders characterize gapped boundary conditions and interfaces. Applied to the Symmetry Topological Field Theory, they allow classification of symmetric gapped phases and impose sharp constraints on possible phase transitions. A condensable algebra is specified not only by its underlying set of anyons, which end on the boundary or interface, but also by its algebra structure. We introduce the concept of twin condensable algebras, which have the same anyon decomposition, but inequivalent algebra structure. We revisit the classification of condensable algebras in
Z(VecGω), i.e. in group-theoretical topological orders for finite groups
G with anomaly
ω. In this context we are able to identify twin algebras that arise from different mechanisms, such as subgroup data, SPT cocycles, and symmetry actions. In particular, we construct infinite families of examples of twins from so-called Gassmann triples, and exhibit cases in which the reduced topological orders are inequivalent despite having identical anyon content. Physically, twin algebras describe distinct symmetric phases that have isomorphic spaces of ground states, but inequivalent order parameters. Such twin phases never exhibit relative spontaneous symmetry breaking, and can be used to construct phase transitions without hidden symmetry breaking, which are intrinsically beyond Landau transitions.
We review the condensation completion of a modular tensor category
C, which yields a fusion 2-category
ΣC of separable algebras, bimodules over algebras and bimodule maps in
C. Physically,
ΣC is the fusion 2-category of codimension-1 defects, codimension-2 defects and instantons in the
2+1D topological order
C. We realize the rough-rough wall and
e-
m exchange wall in Toric Code model on the lattice by deforming the Hamiltonian based on the corresponding algebraic data. We apply condensation completion to Toric Code,
3F, two-laryer semion and
Z4 topological orders, and explicitly enumerate their
1d and
0d defects along with fusion rules. We also mention other applications of condensation completion: alternative interpretations of condensation completion of a braided fusion category; condensation completion of the category of symmetry charges and its correspondence to gapped phases with symmetry; for a topological order
C, one can find all gapped boundaries of the stacking of
C with its time-reversal conjugate through computing the condensation completion of
C.
In this paper we would like to demonstrate how the known, physically-motivat-ed rules of anyon condensation proposed by Bais et al. can be recovered by the mathematics of twist-free commutative separable Frobenius algebra (CSFA). In some simple cases, those physical rules are also sufficient conditions defining a twist-free CSFA. This allows us to make use of the generalized ADE classification of CSFA’s and modular invariants to classify anyon condensation, characterize the topological boundaries between topological field theories and thus describe all gapped domain walls and gapped boundaries of a large class of topological orders. In fact, this classification is equivalent to the classification we proposed in ref. [1].