Pith. sign in

REVIEW 21 cited by

Boundary-bulk relation for topological orders as the functor mapping higher categories to their centers

Not yet reviewed by Pith; the record is open.

This paper has not been read by Pith yet. Machine review is queued; the pith claim, tier, and objections will appear here once it completes.

SPECIMEN: schema-true, not a live event

T0 review · schema-true

One-sentence machine reading of the paper's core claim.

pith:XXXXXXXX · record.json · timestamp

arxiv 1502.01690 v2 pith:FYAPEOXT submitted 2015-02-05 cond-mat.str-el math.CTmath.QA

classification cond-mat.str-elmath.CTmath.QA
keywords topologicalordersbulklocalcenternotionrelationboundary-bulk
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal

Signed reviews

No signed human review yet.

0 comments
abstract

In this paper, we study the relation between topological orders and their gapped boundaries. We propose that the bulk for a given gapped boundary theory is unique. It is actually a consequence of a microscopic definition of a local topological order, which is a (potentially anomalous) topological order defined on an open disk. Using this uniqueness, we show that the notion of "bulk" is equivalent to the notion of center in mathematics. We achieve this by first introducing the notion of a morphism between two local topological orders of the same dimension, then proving that the bulk satisfying the same universal property as that of the center in mathematics. We propose a classification (formulated as a macroscopic definition) of $n+$1D local topological orders by unitary multi-fusion $n$-categories, and explain that the notion of a morphism between two local topological orders is compatible with that of a unitary monoidal $n$-functor in a few low dimensional cases. We also explain in some low dimensional cases that this classification is compatible with the result of "bulk = center". In the end, we explain that above boundary-bulk relation is only the first layer of a hierarchical structure which can be summarized by the functoriality of the bulk (or center). This functoriality also provides the physical meanings of some well-known mathematical results on fusion 1-categories. This work can also be viewed as the first step towards a systematic study of the category of local topological orders, and the boundary-bulk relation actually provides a useful tool for this study.

Discussion (0). Continue with ORCID to comment.

Forward citations

Cited by 21 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. Understanding Non-Split 2-Group Symmetry: (3+1)D SymTFT, Anomaly and Bordism

    hep-th 2026-08 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    For G=(Z2,Z2,triv,1), the authors classify anomalies via oriented and spin bordism in spacetime dimensions d<=5 and derive the (3+1)D SymTFT boundary conditions, including the equivalence of the anomalous symmetry cat...

  2. Chiral Tube Algebras I: Topological Defect Lines, Twisted Modules, and Finite Gauging

    hep-th 2026-07 accept novelty 7.0 of 10

    Chiral tube algebras unify chiral algebras and TDLs by acting on twisted defect spaces via local and non-local currents, with modules isomorphic to twisted modules of the parent algebras.

  3. Fracton Topological Holography

    quant-ph 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Introduces FTH as an extension of TH/SymTFT to type-I and type-II fracton orders, demonstrating boundary switches and dualities for X-cube and Haah's code via stabilizer formalism.

  4. Characterizing gapped phases by smeared boundary conformal field theories: Duality in unusual ordering with spontaneously broken generalized symmetries

    hep-th 2026-05 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Gapped phases dual to massless RG flows in 2D CFTs exhibit unusual ordering via spontaneous breaking of non-group-like symmetries and are characterized using smeared boundary CFTs applied to smeared Ishibashi states.

  5. The Line, the Strip and the Duality Defect

    hep-th 2026-02 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    The XY-plaquette model is claimed to possess a continuous SO(2) non-invertible duality symmetry at arbitrary coupling, realized by open condensation defects in its symmetry TFT.

  6. The Classification of 3+1d Symmetry Enriched Topological Order

    math-ph 2025-09 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    Finite-group-enriched 3+1d topological orders are classified by 2SVect-enriched G-crossed braided fusion 2-categories, with gauging obstructions living in SW^5(BG).

  7. Disjoint additivity and local quantum physics

    hep-th 2025-09 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    Local quantum systems should obey disjoint additivity plus Haag duality, a combination that survives higher-form symmetries and fails for known nonlocal constructions.

  8. Strange correlator and string order parameter for non-invertible symmetry protected topological phases in 1+1d

    cond-mat.str-el 2025-05 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    Strange correlators and string order parameters for non-invertible SPT phases in 1+1d are systematically constructed from the interface algebra, giving local detectors of these phases.

  9. SymTFT construction of gapless exotic-foliated dual models

    cond-mat.str-el 2025-04 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Develops a Mille-feuille SymTFT construction that generates foliated and exotic dual bulk theories realizing gapless boundary models with spontaneous continuous subsystem symmetry breaking, including duals of the XY p...

  10. Tube Category, Tensor Renormalization and Topological Holography

    math-ph 2024-12 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    For any rigid monoidal category C, the representations of the coend-defined tube category XC are equivalent to the relative center of the Yoneda embedding, with the Drinfeld center Z(C) embedded inside.

  11. Holographic Theory of Mixed-Dimensional Statistics and Conservation-Encoding Hopping-Operator Algebras

    cond-mat.str-el 2026-07 conditional novelty 6.5 of 10

    Statistics of G-conserved invertible mixed-dimensional excitations in d-space are classified by H^{d+2}(BG; R/Z) and realized as boundary excitations of an ω-twisted higher-group gauge theory.

  12. Spontaneous breaking of non-invertible symmetries and duality to beyond-Landau transitions

    cond-mat.str-el 2026-05 unverdicted novelty 6.0 of 10

    Non-invertible symmetry-breaking phases are characterized by long-range order parameters obeying generalized algebra, with certain transitions dual to beyond-Landau points of invertible symmetries under precise condit...

  13. Generalizing quantum dimensions: Symmetry-based classification of local pseudo-Hermitian systems and the corresponding domain walls

    hep-th 2025-11 unverdicted novelty 6.0 of 10

    Generalized quantum dimensions from SymTFTs classify massless and massive RG flows in pseudo-Hermitian systems and relate coset constructions to domain walls.

  14. Transition between 2D Symmetry Protected Topological Phases on a Klein Bottle

    cond-mat.str-el 2025-10 unverdicted novelty 6.0 of 10

    Inserting a symmetry defect along the orientation-reversing cycle on a Klein bottle in a 2D Z2 SPT phase induces an extra ground state charge that persists at the transition to the trivial phase, causing exact two-fol...

  15. Bulk Excitations of Invertible Phases

    cond-mat.str-el 2025-06 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Bulk low-entanglement excitations of invertible phases are in one-to-one correspondence with those of a product state, so they are classified by lower-dimensional gapped phases.

  16. Non-Invertible Symmetries as Condensation Defects in Finite-Group Gauge Theories

    cond-mat.str-el 2024-12 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Non-invertible symmetries in finite-group gauge theories are realized as condensation defects, with a complete Z_N dictionary and new automorphism symmetry expressions.

  17. Hilbert Space and Defect Hilbert Spaces Associated with Categorical Symmetries

    hep-th 2026-05 unverdicted novelty 5.0 of 10

    A quantum mechanical framework is given for Hilbert and defect spaces of line operators in BF+kCS TQFT, with line operator action realized by convolution kernels and matches to Verlinde and semiclassical Hopf-link data.

  18. Homomorphism, substructure, and ideal: Elementary but rigorous aspects of renormalization group or hierarchical structure of topological orders

    hep-th 2025-06 unverdicted novelty 5.0 of 10

    An algebraic RG formalism for topological orders uses ideals in fusion rings to encode noninvertible symmetries and condensation rules between anyons.

  19. Gauging or extending bulk and boundary conformal field theories: Application to bulk and domain wall problem in topological matter and their descriptions by (mock) modular covariant

    hep-th 2024-12 conditional novelty 5.0 of 10

    New classes of boundary and coupled conformal field theories are constructed from Z_N gauging, with a proposed dictionary to topological order, nonchiral anyons, and domain walls.

  20. Les Houches Lecture Notes on Tensor Networks

    cond-mat.str-el 2025-12 unverdicted novelty 2.0 of 10

    A well-organized five-lecture review of tensor networks (MPS/PEPS/MPO) covering algorithms, phase classification, string-nets, strange correlators, and dualities; it contains no new research results.

  21. ICTP Lectures on (Non-)Invertible Generalized Symmetries

    hep-th 2023-05 accept novelty 2.0 of 10

    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.

Pith tools