On the Absence of Cross-Confinement for Dynamically Generated Multi-Chern-Simons Theories

We show that when the induced parity breaking part of the effective action for the low-momentum region of U(1) x ... x U(1) Maxwell gauge field theory with massive fermions in 3 dimensions is coupled to a \phi^4 scalar field theory, it is not possible to eliminate the screening of the long-range Coulomb interactions and get external charges confined in the broken Higgs phase. This result is valid for non-zero temperature as well.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

A non-abelian spin-liquid in a spin-1 quantum magnet

We study a time-reversal invariant non-abelian spin-liquid state in an $SU (2)$ symmetric spin $S = 1$ quantum magnet on a triangular lattice. The spin-liquid is obtained by quantum disordering a non-collinear nematic state. We show that such a spin-liquid cannot be obtained by the standard projective construction for spin-liquids. We also study phase transition between the spin-liquid and the non-collinear nematic state and show that it cannot be described within Landau-Ginzburg- Wilson paradigm.Comment: 4.25 pages, 1 figur

Non-locality of non-Abelian anyons

Topological systems, such as fractional quantum Hall liquids, promise to successfully combat environmental decoherence while performing quantum computation. These highly correlated systems can support non-Abelian anyonic quasiparticles that can encode exotic entangled states. To reveal the non-local character of these encoded states we demonstrate the violation of suitable Bell inequalities. We provide an explicit recipe for the preparation, manipulation and measurement of the desired correlations for a large class of topological models. This proposal gives an operational measure of non-locality for anyonic states and it opens up the possibility to violate the Bell inequalities in quantum Hall liquids or spin lattices.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Defect mediated melting and the breaking of quantum double symmetries

In this paper, we apply the method of breaking quantum double symmetries to some cases of defect mediated melting. The formalism allows for a systematic classification of possible defect condensates and the subsequent confinement and/or liberation of other degrees of freedom. We also show that the breaking of a double symmetry may well involve a (partial) restoration of an original symmetry. A detailed analysis of a number of simple but representative examples is given, where we focus on systems with global internal and external (space) symmetries. We start by rephrasing some of the well known cases involving an Abelian defect condensate, such as the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition and one-dimensional melting, in our language. Then we proceed to the non-Abelian case of a hexagonal crystal, where the hexatic phase is realized if translational defects condense in a particular rotationally invariant state. Other conceivable phases are also described in our framework.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, updated reference

From spin to anyon notation: The XXZ Heisenberg model as a D3D_{3} (or su(2)4su(2)_{4}) anyon chain

We discuss a relationship between certain one-dimensional quantum spin chains and anyon chains. In particular we show how the XXZ Heisenberg chain is realised as a $D_{3}$ (alternately $su(2)_{4}$) anyon model. We find the difference between the models lie primarily in choice of boundary condition.Comment: 13 page

Qudit surface codes and gauge theory with finite cyclic groups

Surface codes describe quantum memory stored as a global property of interacting spins on a surface. The state space is fixed by a complete set of quasi-local stabilizer operators and the code dimension depends on the first homology group of the surface complex. These code states can be actively stabilized by measurements or, alternatively, can be prepared by cooling to the ground subspace of a quasi-local spin Hamiltonian. In the case of spin-1/2 (qubit) lattices, such ground states have been proposed as topologically protected memory for qubits. We extend these constructions to lattices or more generally cell complexes with qudits, either of prime level or of level $d^\ell$ for $d$ prime and $\ell \geq 0$, and therefore under tensor decomposition, to arbitrary finite levels. The Hamiltonian describes an exact $\mathbb{Z}_d\cong\mathbb{Z}/d\mathbb{Z}$ gauge theory whose excitations correspond to abelian anyons. We provide protocols for qudit storage and retrieval and propose an interferometric verification of topological order by measuring quasi-particle statistics.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure

Non-Abelian anyonic interferometry with a multi-photon spin lattice simulator

Recently a pair of experiments demonstrated a simulation of Abelian anyons in a spin network of single photons. The experiments were based on an Abelian discrete gauge theory spin lattice model of Kitaev. Here we describe how to use linear optics and single photons to simulate non-Abelian anyons. The scheme makes use of joint qutrit-qubit encoding of the spins and the resources required are three pairs of parametric down converted photons and 14 beam splitters.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. Several references added in v

The modular S-matrix as order parameter for topological phase transitions

We study topological phase transitions in discrete gauge theories in two spatial dimensions induced by the formation of a Bose condensate. We analyse a general class of euclidean lattice actions for these theories which contain one coupling constant for each conjugacy class of the gauge group. To probe the phase structure we use a complete set of open and closed anyonic string operators. The open strings allow one to determine the particle content of the condensate, whereas the closed strings enable us to determine the matrix elements of the modular $S$-matrix, also in the broken phase. From the measured broken $S$-matrix we may read off the sectors that split or get identified in the broken phase, as well as the sectors that are confined. In this sense the modular $S$-matrix can be employed as a matrix valued non-local order parameter from which the low-energy effective theories that occur in different regions of parameter space can be fully determined. To verify our predictions we studied a non-abelian anyon model based on the quaternion group $H=\bar{D_2}$ of order eight by Monte Carlo simulation. We probe part of the phase diagram for the pure gauge theory and find a variety of phases with magnetic condensates leading to various forms of (partial) confinement in complete agreement with the algebraic breaking analysis. Also the order of various transitions is established.Comment: 37 page

Non-Abelian Chern-Simons models with discrete gauge groups on a lattice

We construct the local Hamiltonian description of the Chern-Simons theory with discrete non-Abelian gauge group on a lattice. We show that the theory is fully determined by the phase factors associated with gauge transformations and classify all possible non-equivalent phase factors. We also construct the gauge invariant electric field operators that move fluxons around and create/anihilate them. We compute the resulting braiding properties of the fluxons. We apply our general results to the simplest class of non-Abelian groups, dihedral groups D_n.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Fourier transform and the Verlinde formula for the quantum double of a finite group

A Fourier transform S is defined for the quantum double D(G) of a finite group G. Acting on characters of D(G), S and the central ribbon element of D(G) generate a unitary matrix representation of the group SL(2,Z). The characters form a ring over the integers under both the algebra multiplication and its dual, with the latter encoding the fusion rules of D(G). The Fourier transform relates the two ring structures. We use this to give a particularly short proof of the Verlinde formula for the fusion coefficients.Comment: 15 pages, small errors corrected and references added, version to appear in Journal of Physics