Speaker
Norbert Schuch
Description
We investigate topological phases and phase transitions in
the framework of tensor network models. We discuss the role
of symmetries in this description, and show how it allows to
relate topological phases and transitions between them to
symmetry broken and symmetry protected phases exhibited
by the transfer operator of the system, i.e., at the boundary.
This is accomplished by translating the string-like topological
excitations in the 2D bulk to string order parameters
characterizing the different phases under symmetry at the
boundary. We show that by taking into account the
constraints arising from complete positivity of the transfer
operator, which restricts the possible phases
at the boundary, this yields a complete characterization of all
possible ways in which topological phase transitions can occur
through condensation and confinement of anyons.
Primary author
Norbert Schuch
