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Comments on One-Form Global Symmetries and Their Gauging in 3d and 4d

Canonical reference. 86% of citing Pith papers cite this work as background.

9 Pith papers citing it
Background 86% of classified citations
abstract

We study 3d and 4d systems with a one-form global symmetry, explore their consequences, and analyze their gauging. For simplicity, we focus on $\mathbb{Z}_N$ one-form symmetries. A 3d topological quantum field theory (TQFT) $\mathcal{T}$ with such a symmetry has $N$ special lines that generate it. The braiding of these lines and their spins are characterized by a single integer $p$ modulo $2N$. Surprisingly, if $\gcd(N,p)=1$ the TQFT factorizes $\mathcal{T}=\mathcal{T}'\otimes \mathcal{A}^{N,p}$. Here $\mathcal{T}'$ is a decoupled TQFT, whose lines are neutral under the global symmetry and $\mathcal{A}^{N,p}$ is a minimal TQFT with the $\mathbb{Z}_N$ one-form symmetry of label $p$. The parameter $p$ labels the obstruction to gauging the $\mathbb{Z}_N$ one-form symmetry; i.e.\ it characterizes the 't Hooft anomaly of the global symmetry. When $p=0$ mod $2N$, the symmetry can be gauged. Otherwise, it cannot be gauged unless we couple the system to a 4d bulk with gauge fields extended to the bulk. This understanding allows us to consider $SU(N)$ and $PSU(N)$ 4d gauge theories. Their dynamics is gapped and it is associated with confinement and oblique confinement -- probe quarks are confined. In the $PSU(N)$ theory the low-energy theory can include a discrete gauge theory. We will study the behavior of the theory with a space-dependent $\theta$-parameter, which leads to interfaces. Typically, the theory on the interface is not confining. Furthermore, the liberated probe quarks are anyons on the interface. The $PSU(N)$ theory is obtained by gauging the $\mathbb{Z}_N$ one-form symmetry of the $SU(N)$ theory. Our understanding of the symmetries in 3d TQFTs allows us to describe the interface in the $PSU(N)$ theory.

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representative citing papers

Generalized Families of QFTs

hep-th · 2026-02-09 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Generalized family anomalies for broken higher-group and non-invertible symmetries constrain RG flows and IR phases of QFT families, with explicit application to deformed 4d QCD.

2-Group Symmetries of 3-dimensional Defect TQFTs and Their Gauging

math.QA · 2025-06-09 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

The paper proves that 2-group symmetries in 3D defect TQFTs from G-crossed braided fusion categories have no gauging obstructions and that gauging the 0-form G-symmetry on the neutral component produces the equivariantisation, with a reciprocal relation when G is commutative.

Half-Spacetime Gauging of 2-Group Symmetry in 3d

hep-th · 2026-05-07 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Half-spacetime gauging of 2-group symmetries in (2+1)d QFTs produces non-invertible duality defects whose fusion rules are derived explicitly from parent theories with mixed anomalies.

String probes, simple currents, and the no global symmetries conjecture

hep-th · 2026-05-12 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

Chiral simple current extensions on the worldsheet reproduce and generalize obstructions to gauging center one-form symmetries in 6d and 8d string compactifications while clarifying BPS particle requirements upon circle reduction.

Confinement in a finite duality cascade

hep-th · 2026-04-20 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

Holographic checks confirm area-law confinement, anomaly-matching domain walls via 2+1D TQFT, and unstable axionic strings implying no massless axions in this finite duality cascade model.

ICTP Lectures on (Non-)Invertible Generalized Symmetries

hep-th · 2023-05-29 · accept · novelty 2.0

Lecture notes explain non-invertible generalized symmetries in QFTs as topological defects arising from stacking with TQFTs and gauging diagonal symmetries, plus their action on charges and the SymTFT framework.

Lectures on Generalized Symmetries

hep-th · 2023-07-14 · unverdicted · novelty 1.0

Lecture notes that systematically introduce higher-form symmetries, SymTFTs, higher-group symmetries, and related concepts in QFT using gauge theory examples.

citing papers explorer

Showing 9 of 9 citing papers.

  • Lattice Gauging Interfaces and Noninvertible Defects in Higher Dimensions cond-mat.str-el · 2026-05-12 · unverdicted · none · ref 3 · internal anchor

    Explicit lattice constructions of gauging interfaces and condensation defects are given for higher-dimensional systems with higher-form symmetries, using movement operators to manage constrained Hilbert spaces.

  • Generalized Families of QFTs hep-th · 2026-02-09 · unverdicted · none · ref 102 · internal anchor

    Generalized family anomalies for broken higher-group and non-invertible symmetries constrain RG flows and IR phases of QFT families, with explicit application to deformed 4d QCD.

  • 2-Group Symmetries of 3-dimensional Defect TQFTs and Their Gauging math.QA · 2025-06-09 · unverdicted · none · ref 8 · internal anchor

    The paper proves that 2-group symmetries in 3D defect TQFTs from G-crossed braided fusion categories have no gauging obstructions and that gauging the 0-form G-symmetry on the neutral component produces the equivariantisation, with a reciprocal relation when G is commutative.

  • Half-Spacetime Gauging of 2-Group Symmetry in 3d hep-th · 2026-05-07 · unverdicted · none · ref 37

    Half-spacetime gauging of 2-group symmetries in (2+1)d QFTs produces non-invertible duality defects whose fusion rules are derived explicitly from parent theories with mixed anomalies.

  • String probes, simple currents, and the no global symmetries conjecture hep-th · 2026-05-12 · unverdicted · none · ref 30 · internal anchor

    Chiral simple current extensions on the worldsheet reproduce and generalize obstructions to gauging center one-form symmetries in 6d and 8d string compactifications while clarifying BPS particle requirements upon circle reduction.

  • Automorphism in Gauge Theories: Higher Symmetries and Transversal Non-Clifford Logical Gates cond-mat.str-el · 2025-11-19 · unverdicted · none · ref 24 · internal anchor

    Automorphisms of gauge groups extend to higher or non-invertible symmetries in topological gauge theories and enable transversal non-Clifford gates in 2+1d Z_N qudit Clifford stabilizer models for N greater than or equal to 3.

  • Confinement in a finite duality cascade hep-th · 2026-04-20 · unverdicted · none · ref 28

    Holographic checks confirm area-law confinement, anomaly-matching domain walls via 2+1D TQFT, and unstable axionic strings implying no massless axions in this finite duality cascade model.

  • ICTP Lectures on (Non-)Invertible Generalized Symmetries hep-th · 2023-05-29 · accept · none · ref 105 · internal anchor

    Lecture notes explain non-invertible generalized symmetries in QFTs as topological defects arising from stacking with TQFTs and gauging diagonal symmetries, plus their action on charges and the SymTFT framework.

  • Lectures on Generalized Symmetries hep-th · 2023-07-14 · unverdicted · none · ref 90 · internal anchor

    Lecture notes that systematically introduce higher-form symmetries, SymTFTs, higher-group symmetries, and related concepts in QFT using gauge theory examples.