We study a potential method for constructing the Rozansky--Witten TQFT as an extended $(1+1+1)$-TQFT. We construct a $2$-category consisting of schemes, complexes of sheaves and sheaf morphisms and show that there are $(1+1)$-TQFTs valued in the truncation of this category which have state spaces that agree with the Rozansky--Witten TQFT. However, we also show that if such a TQFT is based on a reduced Noetherian scheme, it cannot be extended upwards to a $(1+1+1)$-TQFT.
We give an introduction for the non-expert to TQFT (Topological Quantum Field Theory), focussing especially on its role in algebraic topology. We compare the Atiyah axioms for TQFT with the Eilenberg Steenrod axioms for homology, give a few simple examples of TQFTs, and discuss some other approaches that have been taken to defining TQFT. We then propose a new formulation of TQFT, which is closer in spirit to the way conventional functors of algebraic topology, like homology, are presented. In this approach the fundamental operation of gluing is incorporated through the notion of a *gluing morp…
In this paper, we present the next step in the proof that $Z_{TV,\C} = Z_{RT, Z(\C)}$, namely that the theories give the same 3-manifold invariants. In future papers we will show that this equality extends to an equivalence of TQFTs.
In the third paper in this series, we examine the Reshetikhin-Turaev and Turaev-Viro TQFTs at the level of surfaces. In particular, we show that for a closed surface $Σ$, $Z_{TV, \mathcal{C}}(Σ) \cong Z_{RT, Z(\C)}(Σ)$, thus extending the equality of 3-manifold invariants proved in an earlier paper to an equivalence of TQFTs. We also describe how to compute Turaev-Viro state sums for 3-manifolds with embedded ribbon graphs.
In this paper we show how one can extend Turaev-Viro invariants, defined for an arbitrary spherical fusion category $C$, to 3-manifolds with corners. We demonstrate that this gives an extended TQFT which conjecturally coincides with the Reshetikhin-Turaev TQFT corresponding to the Drinfeld center $Z(C)$. In the present paper we give a partial proof of this statement.
In his PhD thesis, Goosen combined the string-net and the generators-and-relations formalisms for arbitrary once-extended 3-dimensional TQFTs. In this paper we work this out in detail for the simplest non-trivial example, where the underlying spherical fusion category is the category of $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$-graded vector spaces. This allows us to give an elementary string-net description of the linear maps associated to 3-dimensional bordisms. The string-net formalism also simplifies the description of the mapping class group action in the resulting TQFT. We conclude the paper by performin…
We define a symmetric monoidal (4,3)-category with duals whose objects are certain enriched multi-fusion categories. For every modular tensor category $\mathcal{C}$, there is a self enriched multi-fusion category $\mathfrak{C}$ giving rise to an object of this symmetric monoidal (4,3)-category. We conjecture that the extended 3D TQFT given by the fully dualizable object $\mathfrak{C}$ extends the 1-2-3-dimensional Reshetikhin-Turaev TQFT associated to the modular tensor category $\mathcal{C}$ down to dimension zero.
We present a general framework for TQFT and related constructions using the language of monoidal categories. We construct a topological category C and an algebraic category D, both monoidal, and a TQFT functor is then defined as a certain type of monoidal functor from C to D. In contrast with the cobordism approach, this formulation of TQFT is closer in spirit to the classical functors of algebraic topology, like homology. The fundamental operation of gluing is incorporated at the level of the morphisms in the topological category through the notion of a gluing morphism, which we define. It al…
This paper gives a definition of an extended topological quantum field theory (TQFT) as a weak 2-functor Z: nCob_2 -> 2Vect, by analogy with the description of a TQFT as a functor Z: nCob -> Vect. We also show how to obtain such a theory from any finite group G. This theory is related to a topological gauge theory, the Dijkgraaf-Witten model. To give this definition rigorously, we first define a bicategory of cobordisms between cobordisms. We also give some explicit description of a higher-categorical version of Vect, denoted 2Vect, a bicategory of "2-vector spaces". Along the way, we prove se…
We find explicit bases for naturally defined lattices over a ring of algebraic integers in the SO(3) TQFT-modules of surfaces at roots of unity of odd prime order. Some applications relating quantum invariants to classical 3-manifold topology are given.
In this paper we propose a naive construction of 2-dimensional extended topological quantum field theories (TQFTs), which can be further generalized to the higher-dimension extended TQFTs.
The Crane-Yetter state sum is an invariant of closed 4-manifolds, defined in terms of a triangulation, based on 15-j symbols associated to the category A of representations over quantum sl2 (at a root of unity). In this thesis, we define the state sum in terms of a 'PLCW decomposition', which generalizes triangulations, and generalize A to an arbitrary premodular category. We extend the state sum to 4-manifolds with corners, making it an extended TQFT. We also develop a parallel theory based on skeins, which are essentially A-colored graphs, and we show that the two theories are equivalent. Fo…
We provide a description of adequate categorical data to give a Turaev-Viro type state-sum construct of invariants of 3-manifolds with a system of defects, generalizing the Dijkgraaf-Witten type invariants of our earlier work. We term the defects in our construction defects-with-structure because algebraic data associated to them is in general richer than a module category over the spherical fusion category from which the theory is constructed when no defect is present.
Foams are surfaces with branch lines at which three sheets merge. They have been used in the categorification of sl(3) quantum knot invariants and also in physics. The 2D-TQFT of surfaces, on the other hand, is classified by means of commutative Frobenius algebras, where saddle points correspond to multiplication and comultiplication. In this paper, we explore algebraic operations that branch lines derive under TQFT. In particular, we investigate Lie bracket and bialgebra structures. Relations to the original Frobenius algebra structures are discussed both algebraically and diagrammatically.
We classify framed and oriented 2-1-0-extended TQFTs with values in the bicategories of Landau-Ginzburg models, whose objects and 1-morphisms are isolated singularities and (either $\mathbb{Z}_2$- or $(\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Q})$-graded) matrix factorisations, respectively. For this we present the relevant symmetric monoidal structures and find that every object $W \in \Bbbk[x_1,\dots,x_n]$ determines a framed extended TQFT. We then compute the Serre automorphisms $S_W$ to show that $W$ determines an oriented extended TQFT if the associated category of matrix factorisations is $(n-2)$-Cal…
For simple and simply-connected complex algebraic group G, we conjecture the existence of a functor eta_G from the category of 2-bordisms to the category of holomorphic symplectic varieties with Hamiltonian action, such that gluing of boundaries corresponds to the holomorphic symplectic quotient with respect to the diagonal action of G. We describe various properties of eta_G obtained via string-theoretic analysis. Mathematicians are urged to construct eta_G rigorously.
The two dimensional state sum models of Barrett and Tavares are extended to unoriented spacetimes. The input to the construction is an algebraic structure dubbed half twist algebras, a class of examples of which is real separable superalgebras with a continuous parameter. The construction generates pin-minus TQFTs, including the root invertible theory with partition function the Arf-Brown-Kervaire invariant. Decomposability, the stacking law, and Morita invariance of the construction are discussed.
We show how extended topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) can be used to obtain a kinematical setup for quantum gravity, i.e. a kinematical Hilbert space together with a representation of the observable algebra including operators of quantum geometry. In particular, we consider the holonomy-flux algebra of (2+1)-dimensional Euclidean loop quantum gravity, and construct a new representation of this algebra that incorporates a positive cosmological constant. The vacuum state underlying our representation is defined by the Turaev-Viro TQFT. We therefore construct here a generalization, or m…
We study boundary conditions for extended topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) and their relation to topological anomalies. We introduce the notion of TQFTs with moduli level $m$, and describe extended anomalous theories as natural transformations of invertible field theories of this type. We show how in such a framework anomalous theories give rise naturally to homotopy fixed points for $n$-characters on $\infty$-groups. By using dimensional reduction on manifolds with boundaries, we show how boundary conditions for $n+1$-dimensional TQFTs produce $n$-dimensional anomalous field theorie…
In this paper, we describe a relation between a categorical quantization construction, called "2-linearization", and extended topological quantum field theory (ETQFT). We then describe an extension of the 2-linearization process which incorporates cohomological twisting. The 2-linearization process assigns 2-vector spaces to (finite) groupoids, functors between them to spans of groupoids, and natural transformations to spans between these. By applying this to groupoids which represent the (discrete) moduli spaces for topological gauge theory with finite group G, the ETQFT obtained is the untwi…
We study a special sort of 2-dimensional extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs) which we call open-closed TQFTs. These are defined on open-closed cobordisms by which we mean smooth compact oriented 2-manifolds with corners that have a particular global structure in order to model the smooth topology of open and closed string worldsheets. We show that the category of open-closed TQFTs is equivalent to the category of knowledgeable Frobenius algebras. A knowledgeable Frobenius algebra (A,C,i,i^*) consists of a symmetric Frobenius algebra A, a commutative Frobenius algebra C, and an …
Hexagon relations are combinatorial or algebraic realizations of four-dimensional Pachner moves. We introduce some simple set-theoretic hexagon relations and then `quantize' them using what we call `polynomial hexagon cohomologies'. Based on this, topological quantum field theories are proposed with polynomial `discrete Lagrangian densities' taking values in finite fields. First calculations of the resulting manifold invariants, arising from polynomial cocycles of degree three and in characteristic two, show their nontriviality.
A TQFT is a functor from a cobordism category to the category of vector spaces, satisfying certain properties. An important property is that the vector spaces should be finite dimensional. For the WRT TQFT, the relevant 2+1-cobordism category is built from manifolds which are equipped with an extra structure such as a p_1-structure, or an extended manifold structure. We perform the universal construction of Blanchet, Habegger, Masbaum and Vogel on a cobordism category without this extra structure and show that the resulting quantization functor assigns an infinite dimensional vector space to t…
We construct a Topological Quantum Field Theory (in the sense of Atiyah) associated to the universal finite-type invariant of 3-dimensional manifolds, as a functor from the category of 3-dimensional manifolds with parametrized boundary, satisfying some additional conditions, to an algebraic-combinatorial category. It is built together with its truncations with respect to a natural grading, and we prove that these TQFTs are non-degenerate and anomaly-free. The TQFT(s) induce(s) a (series of) representation(s) of a subgroup ${\cal L}_g$ of the Mapping Class Group that contains the Torelli group.…
It is known that the category $\mathscr{C}^H$ of nilpotent weight modules over the quantum group associated with the super Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}(2|1)$ is a relative pre-modular $G$-category. Its modified trace enables to define an invariant of $3$-manifolds. In this article we show that the category $\mathscr{C}^H$ is a relative modular $G$-category which allows one to construct a family of non-semi-simple extended topological quantum field theories which surprisingly are anomaly free. The quantum group associated with $\mathfrak{sl}(2|1)$ is considered at odd roots of unity.
We give a presentation of the $n$-dimensional oriented cobordism category $\text{Cob}_n$ with generators corresponding to diffeomorphisms and surgeries along framed spheres, and a complete set of relations. Hence, given a functor $F$ from the category of smooth oriented manifolds and diffeomorphisms to an arbitrary category $C$, and morphisms induced by surgeries along framed spheres, we obtain a necessary and sufficient set of relations these have to satisfy to extend to a functor from $\text{Cob}_n$ to $C$. If $C$ is symmetric and monoidal, then we also characterize when the extension is a T…
Motion groups of links in the three sphere $\mathbb{S}^3$ are generalizations of the braid groups, which are motion groups of points in the disk $\mathbb{D}^2$. Representations of motion groups can be used to model statistics of extended objects such as closed strings in physics. Each $1$-extended $(3+1)$-topological quantum field theory (TQFT) will provide representations of motion groups, but it is difficult to compute such representations explicitly in general. In this paper, we compute representations of the motion groups of links in $\mathbb{S}^3$ with generalized axes from Dijkgraaf-Witt…
These notes offer a lightening introduction to topological quantum field theory in its functorial axiomatisation, assuming no or little prior exposure. We lay some emphasis on the connection between the path integral motivation and the definition in terms symmetric monoidal categories, and we highlight the algebraic formulation emerging from a formal generators-and-relations description. This allows one to understand (oriented, closed) 1- and 2-dimensional TQFTs in terms of a finite amount of algebraic data, while already the 3-dimensional case needs an infinite amount of data. We evade these …
A modular category is a braided category with some additional algebraic features. The interest of this concept is that it provides a Topological Quantum Field Theory in dimension 3. The Verlinde formulas associated with a modular category are the dimensions of the TQFT modules. We compute this formulas and discuss reductions and refinements for modular categories related with SU(N).Our main result is a splitting of the Verlinde formula, corresponding to a brick decomposition of the TQFT modules whose summands are indexed by spin structures modulo an even integer.We introduce the notion of a sp…
We derive the general state sum construction for 2D topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) with source defects on oriented curves, extending the state-sum construction from special symmetric Frobenius algebra for 2-D TQFTs without defects (cf. Lauda \& Pfeiffer \cite{LP}). From the extended Pachner moves (Crane \& Yetter \cite{CY}), we derive equations that we subsequently translate into string diagrams so that we can easily observe their properties. As in Dougherty, Park and Yetter \cite{DPY}, we require that triangulations be flag-like, meaning that each simplex of the triangulation is e…
We propose a new mwthod of constructing 4D-TQFTs. The method uses a new type of algebraic structure called a Hopf Category. We also outline the construction of a family of Hopf categories related to the quantum groups, using the canonical bases.
The goal of this work is to describe a categorical formalism for (Extended) Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs) and present them as functors from a suitable category of cobordisms with corners to a linear category, generalizing 2d open-closed TQFTs to higher dimensions. The approach is based on the notion of an n-fold category by C. Ehresmann, weakened in the spirit of monoidal categories (associators, interchangers, Mac Lane's pentagons and hexagons), in contrast with the simplicial (weak Kan and complete Segal) approach of Jacob Lurie. We show how different Topological Quantum Field T…
This paper is devoted to the study of algebraic structures leading to link homology theories. The originally used structures of Frobenius algebra and/or TQFT are modified in two directions. First, we refine 2-dimensional cobordisms by taking into account their embedding into the three space. Secondly, we extend the underlying cobordism category to a 2-category, where the usual relations hold up to 2-isomorphisms. The corresponding abelian 2-functor is called an extended quantum field theory (EQFT). We show that the Khovanov homology, the nested Khovanov homology, extracted by Stroppel and Webs…
The study of topological quantum field theories increasingly relies upon concepts from higher-dimensional algebra such as n-categories and n-vector spaces. We review progress towards a definition of n-category suited for this purpose, and outline a program in which n-dimensional TQFTs are to be described as n-category representations. First we describe a "suspension" operation on n-categories, and hypothesize that the k-fold suspension of a weak n-category stabilizes for k >= n+2. We give evidence for this hypothesis and describe its relation to stable homotopy theory. We then propose a descri…
We construct a family of oriented extended topological field theories using the AKSZ construction in derived algebraic geometry, which can be viewed as an algebraic and topological version of the classical AKSZ field theories that occur in physics. These have as their targets higher categories of symplectic derived stacks, with higher morphisms given by iterated Lagrangian correspondences. We define these, as well as analogous higher categories of oriented derived stacks and iterated oriented cospans, and prove that all objects are fully dualizable. Then we set up a functorial version of the A…
