Contributor info: Dr David Stephen

Marvin Qi, David T. Stephen, Xueda Wen, Daniel Spiegel, Markus J. Pflaum, Agnès Beaudry, Michael Hermele

SciPost Phys. 18, 168 (2025) · published 28 May 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We employ matrix product states (MPS) and tensor networks to study topological properties of the space of ground states of gapped many-body systems. We focus on families of states in one spatial dimension, where each state can be represented as an injective MPS of finite bond dimension. Such states are short-range entangled ground states of gapped local Hamiltonians. To such parametrized families over $X$ we associate a gerbe, which generalizes the line bundle of ground states in zero-dimensional families (\textit{i.e.} in few-body quantum mechanics). The nontriviality of the gerbe is measured by a class in $H^3(X, \Z)$, which is believed to classify one-dimensional parametrized systems. We show that when the gerbe is nontrivial, there is an obstruction to representing the family of ground states with an MPS tensor that is continuous everywhere on $X$. We illustrate our construction with two examples of nontrivial parametrized systems over $X=S^3$ and $X = \R P^2 × S^1$. Finally, we sketch using tensor network methods how the construction extends to higher dimensional parametrized systems, with an example of a two-dimensional parametrized system that gives rise to a nontrivial 2-gerbe over $X = S^4$.

Po-Shen Hsin, David T. Stephen, Arpit Dua, Dominic J. Williamson

SciPost Phys. 18, 147 (2025) · published 2 May 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

Topological quantum matter exhibits a range of exotic phenomena when enriched by subdimensional symmetries. This includes new features beyond those that appear in the conventional setting of global symmetry enrichment. A recently discovered example is a type of subsystem symmetry fractionalization that occurs through a different mechanism to global symmetry fractionalization. In this work we extend the study of subsystem symmetry fractionalization through new examples derived from the general principle of embedding subsystem symmetry into higher-form symmetry. This leads to new types of symmetry fractionalization that are described by foliation dependent higher-form symmetries. This leads to field theories and lattice models that support previously unseen anomalous subsystem symmetry fractionalization. Our work expands the range of exotic topological physics that is enabled by subsystem symmetry in field theory and on the lattice.