Modul:   MAT074  Talks in mathematical physics

Category theory of anyons in topological liquids

Talk by Titus Neupert

Date: 04.12.23  Time: 13.15 - 14.15  Room: Y27H25

I will discuss an axiomatic description of topologically ordered states of matter in two dimensions that are characterized by anyons as particle-like dynamical excitations. This theory, based on fusion categories, classifies such phases using a small set of universal data and allows to compute topological physical observables that result from adiabatic manipulations of the anyons. This allows to describe operations on topological quantum computers, fractional quantum Hall states, as well as spin liquids. The theory makes a connection between boundary conformal field theories, bulk excitations of a topological fluid, and topological ground state degeneracies.