Superselection sectors in the 3d Toric Code

We rigorously define superselection sectors in the 3d (spatial dimensions) Toric Code Model on the infinite lattice $\mathbb{Z}^3$. We begin by constructing automorphisms that correspond to infinite flux strings, a phenomenon that's only possible in open manifolds. We then classify all ground state superselection sectors containing infinite flux strings, and find a rich structure that depends on the geometry and number of strings in the configuration. In particular, for a single infinite flux string configuration to be a ground state, it must be monotonic. For configurations containing multiple infinite flux strings, we define "infinity directions" and use that to establish a necessary and sufficient condition for a state to be in a ground state superselection sector. Notably, we also find that if a state contains more than 3 infinite flux strings, then it is not in a ground state superselection sector.Comment: 33 pages, 16 figure

Classification of the anyon sectors of Kitaev's quantum double model

We give a complete classification of the anyon sectors of Kitaev's quantum double model on the infinite triangular lattice and for finite gauge group $G$, including the non-abelian case. As conjectured, the anyon sectors of the model correspond precisely to the irreducible representations of the quantum double algebra of $G$. Our proof consists of two main parts. In the first part, we construct for each irreducible representation of the quantum double algebra a pure state and show that the GNS representations of these pure states are pairwise disjoint anyon sectors. In the second part we show that any anyon sector is unitarily equivalent to one of the anyon sectors constructed in the first part. Purity of the states constructed in the first part is shown by characterising these states as the unique states that satisfy appropriate local constraints. These constraints are of two types, namely flux constraints and gauge constraints. The flux constraints single out certain string-net states, while the gauge constraints fix the way in which these string-nets condense. At the core of the proof is the fact that certain groups of local gauge transformations act freely and transitively on collections of local string-nets. The proof that the GNS representations of these states are anyon sectors relies on showing that they are unitarily equivalent to amplimorphism representations which are much easier to compare to the ground state representation. For the second part, we show that any anyon sector contains a pure state that satisfies all but a finite number of the constraints characterising the pure states of the first part. Using known techniques we can then construct a pure state in the anyon sector that satisfies all but one of these constraints. Finally, we show that any such state must be a vector state in one of the anyon sectors constructed in the first part.Comment: Errors of version 1 fixed, presentation throughout the manuscript improved. 83 pages, 16 figure

Dynamical abelian anyons with bound states and scattering states

We introduce a family of quantum spin Hamiltonians on $\mathbb{Z}^2$ that can be regarded as perturbations of Kitaev's abelian quantum double models that preserve the gauge and duality symmetries of these models. We analyze in detail the sector with one electric charge and one magnetic flux and show that the spectrum in this sector consists of both bound states and scattering states of abelian anyons. Concretely, we have defined a family of lattice models in which abelian anyons arise naturally as finite-size quasi-particles with non-trivial dynamics that consist of a charge-flux pair. In particular, the anyons exhibit a non-trivial holonomy with a quantized phase, consistent with the gauge and duality symmetries of the Hamiltonian.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figure