Clement Delcamp

Given a two-dimensional quantum lattice model with an Abelian gauge theory interpretation, we investigate a duality operation that amounts to gauging its invertible 1-form symmetry, followed by gauging the resulting 0-form symmetry in a twisted way via a choice of discrete torsion. Using tensor networks, we introduce explicit lattice realisations of the so-called condensation defects, which are obtained by gauging the 1-form symmetry along submanifolds of spacetime, and employ the same calculus to realise the duality operators. By leveraging these tensor network operators, we compute the non-trivial interplay between symmetry-twisted boundary conditions and charge sectors under the duality operation, enabling us to construct isometries relating the dual Hamiltonians. Whenever a lattice gauge theory is left invariant under the duality operation, we explore the possibility of promoting the self-duality to an internal symmetry. We argue that this results in a symmetry structure that encodes the 2-representations of a 2-group.

The fields of entanglement theory and tensor networks have recently emerged as central tools for characterizing quantum phases of matter. Here we determine the entanglement structure of ground states of gapped symmetric quantum lattice models and use this to obtain the most efficient tensor network representation of those ground states. We do this by showing that degeneracies in the entanglement spectrum arise through a duality transformation of the original model to the unique dual model where the entire dual symmetry is spontaneously broken. Physically, this duality transformation amounts to a—potentially twisted—gauging of the unbroken symmetry in the original ground state. In general, the dual symmetries of the resulting models are generalized non-invertible symmetries that cannot be described by groups. This result has strong implications for the complexity of simulating many-body systems using variational tensor network methods. For every phase in the phase diagram, the dual representation of the ground state that completely breaks the symmetry minimizes both the entanglement entropy and the required number of variational parameters. We demonstrate the applicability of this idea by developing a generalized density matrix renormalization group algorithm that works on constrained Hilbert spaces and quantify the computational gains obtained over traditional tensor network methods in a perturbed Heisenberg model. Our work testifies to the usefulness of generalized non-invertible symmetries and their formal category theoretic description for the practical simulation of strongly correlated systems.

A systematic approach to dualities in symmetric ( 1 + 1 ) d quantum lattice models has recently been proposed in terms of module categories over the symmetry fusion categories. By characterizing the nontrivial way in which dualities intertwine closed boundary conditions and charge sectors, these can be implemented by unitary matrix product operators. In this Letter, we explain how to turn such duality operators into unitary linear depth quantum circuits via the introduction of ancillary degrees of freedom that keep track of the various sectors. The linear depth is consistent with the fact that these dualities change the phase of the states on which they act. When supplemented with measurements, we show that dualities with respect to symmetries encoded into nilpotent fusion categories can be realized in constant depth. The resulting circuits can for instance be used to efficiently prepare short- and long-range entangled states or map between different gapped boundaries of ( 2 + 1 ) d topological models.

We present a framework to systematically investigate higher categorical symmetries in two-dimensional spin systems. Though exotic, such generalised symmetries have been shown to naturally arise as dual symmetries upon gauging invertible symmetries. Our framework relies on an approach to dualities whereby dual quantum lattice models only differ in a choice of module 2-category over some input fusion 2-category. Given an arbitrary two-dimensional spin system with an ordinary symmetry, we explain how to perform the (twisted) gauging of any of its sub-symmetries. We then demonstrate that the resulting model has a symmetry structure encoded into the Morita dual of the input fusion 2-category with respect to the corresponding module 2-category. We exemplify this approach by specialising to certain finite group generalisations of the transverse-field Ising model, for which we explicitly define lattice symmetry operators organised into fusion 2-categories of higher representations of higher groups.

We present a framework to systematically investigate higher categorical symmetries in two-dimensional spin systems. Though exotic, such generalised symmetries have been shown to naturally arise as dual symmetries upon gauging invertible symmetries. Our framework relies on an approach to dualities whereby dual quantum lattice models only differ in a choice of module 2-category over some input fusion 2-category. Given an arbitrary two-dimensional spin system with an ordinary symmetry, we explain how to perform the (twisted) gauging of any of its sub-symmetries. We then demonstrate that the resulting model has a symmetry structure encoded into the Morita dual of the input fusion 2-category with respect to the corresponding module 2-category. We exemplify this approach by specialising to certain finite group generalisations of the transverse-field Ising model, for which we explicitly define lattice symmetry operators organised into fusion 2-categories of higher representations of higher groups.

A systematic approach to dualities in symmetric (1+1)d quantum lattice models has recently been proposed in terms of module categories over the symmetry fusion categories. By characterizing the non-trivial way in which dualities intertwine closed boundary conditions and charge sectors, these can be implemented by unitary matrix product operators. In this manuscript, we explain how to turn such duality operators into unitary linear depth quantum circuits via the introduction of ancillary degrees of freedom that keep track of the various sectors. The linear depth is consistent with the fact that these dualities change the phase of the states on which they act. When supplemented with measurements, we show that dualities with respect to symmetries encoded into nilpotent fusion categories can be realised in constant depth. The resulting circuits can for instance be used to efficiently prepare short- and long-range entangled states or map between different gapped boundaries of (2+1)d topological models.