Geometry, Topology, and Physics Seminar: Anton Kapustin (Caltech), 'Gauge Symmetries, Higher Categories, and Gapped Phases of Matter'

Event Date: 

Friday, September 27, 2013 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Event Location: 

  • 6635 South Hall

I define and study TQFTs which describe the low-energy limit of gapped phases of gauge theories where the microscopic gauge group is partially Higgsed and partially confined. These TQFTs generalized the Dijkgraaf-Witten TQFT and can be described on a lattice using discrete 1-form and 2-form gauge fields. The gauge group is replaced by a gauge 2-group (a 2-category with a single object and invertible 1-morphisms and 2-morphisms). It is proposed that 2-group TQFTs are associated with new types of symmetry-protected gapped phases of matter.