Contributor info: Dr Yunqin Zheng

Linhao Li, Masaki Oshikawa, Yunqin Zheng

SciPost Phys. 17, 013 (2024) · published 15 July 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases are one of the simplest, yet nontrivial, gapped systems that go beyond the Landau paradigm. In this work, we study an extension of the notion of SPT for gapless systems, namely, gapless symmetry protected topological states. We construct several simple gapless-SPT models using the decorated defect construction, which allow analytical understanding of non-trivial topological features including the symmetry charge under twisted boundary conditions, and boundary (quasi)-degeneracy under open boundary conditions. We also comment on the stability of the gapless-SPT models under symmetric perturbations, and apply small-scale exact diagonalization when direct analytic understanding is not available.

Philip Boyle Smith, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Yuji Tachikawa, Yunqin Zheng

SciPost Phys. 16, 058 (2024) · published 27 February 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We classify two-dimensional purely chiral unitary conformal field theories which are defined on two-dimensional surfaces equipped with spin structure and have central charge less than or equal to $16$, and discuss their duality webs. This result can be used to confirm that the list of non-supersymmetric ten-dimensional heterotic string theories found in the late 1980s is complete and does not miss any exotic example.

Weiguang Cao, Linhao Li, Masahito Yamazaki, Yunqin Zheng

SciPost Phys. 15, 155 (2023) · published 12 October 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We explore non-invertible symmetries in two-dimensional lattice models with subsystem $\mathbb Z_2$ symmetry. We introduce a subsystem $\mathbb Z_2$-gauging procedure, called the subsystem Kramers-Wannier transformation, which generalizes the ordinary Kramers-Wannier transformation. The corresponding duality operators and defects are constructed by gaugings on the whole or half of the Hilbert space. By gauging twice, we derive fusion rules of duality operators and defects, which enriches ordinary Ising fusion rules with subsystem features. Subsystem Kramers-Wannier duality defects are mobile in both spatial directions, unlike the defects of invertible subsystem symmetries. We finally comment on the anomaly of the subsystem Kramers-Wannier duality symmetry, and discuss its subtleties.

Yoshiki Fukusumi, Yuji Tachikawa, Yunqin Zheng

SciPost Phys. 11, 082 (2021) · published 25 October 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

In the last few years it was realized that every fermionic theory in 1+1 dimensions is a generalized Jordan-Wigner transform of a bosonic theory with a non-anomalous $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry. In this note we determine how the boundary states are mapped under this correspondence. We also interpret this mapping as the fusion of the original boundary with the fermionization interface.