This is an expanded version of the notes by the second author of the lectures on symmetric tensor categories given by the first author at Ohio State University in March 2019 and later at ICRA-2020 in November 2020. We review some aspects of the current state of the theory of symmetric tensor categories and discuss their applications, including ones unavailable in the literature.
We give a review of some recent developments in the theory of tensor categories. The topics include realizability of fusion rings, Ocneanu rigidity, module categories, weak Hopf algebras, Morita theory for tensor categories, lifting theory, categorical dimensions, Frobenius- Perron dimensions, classification of tensor categories.
These are notes from an informal mini-course on factorization homology, infinity-categories, and topological field theories. The target audience was imagined to be graduate students who are not homotopy theorists.
This paper is an introduction to Homological Mirror Symmetry, derived categories, and topological D-branes aimed mainly at a mathematical audience. In the paper we explain the physicists' viewpoint of the Mirror Phenomenon, its relation to derived categories, and the reason why it is necessary to enlarge the Fukaya category with coisotropic A-branes; we discuss how to extend the definition of Floer homology to such objects and describe mirror symmetry for flat tori. The paper consists of four lectures which were given at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (Los Angeles), March 2003,…
We aim to study Morita theory for tensor triangulated categories. For two finite tensor categories having no projective simple objects, we prove that their stable equivalence induced by an exact $\Bbbk$-linear monoidal functor can be lifted to a tensor equivalence under some certain conditions.
Given a tensor functor between tensor categories $\mathcal{C}$ and $\mathcal{D}$, we give criteria that, under certain assumptions, the Frobeniusness of $\mathcal{C}$ or $\mathcal{D}$ implies the Frobeniusness of the other one. We also give an affirmative answer to Natale's question asking if the class of Frobenius tensor categories is closed under exact sequences.
In this paper we classify all semisimple tensor categories with the same fusion rules as $\operatorname{Rep}(SO(4))$, or one of the associated truncations. We show that such categories are explicitly classified by two non-zero complex numbers. Furthermore we show these tensor categories are always braided, and there exist exactly 8 braidings.
We give a formula for the relative Deligne tensor product of two indecomposable finite semisimple module categories over a pointed braided fusion category over an algebraically closed field.
We introduce Nakayama functors for coalgebras and investigate their basic properties. These functors are expressed by certain (co)ends as in the finite case discussed by Fuchs, Schaumann, and Schweigert. This observation allows us to define Nakayama functors for Frobenius tensor categories in an intrinsic way. As applications, we establish the categorical Radford $S^4$-formula for Frobenius tensor categories and obtain some related results. These are generalizations of works of Etingof, Nikshych, and Ostrik on finite tensor categories and some known facts on co-Frobenius Hopf algebras.
These notes offer an introduction to the functorial and algebraic description of 2-dimensional topological quantum field theories `with defects', assuming only superficial familiarity with closed TQFTs in terms of commutative Frobenius algebras. The generalisation of this relation is a construction of pivotal 2-categories from defect TQFTs. We review this construction in detail, flanked by a range of examples. Furthermore we explain how open/closed TQFTs are equivalent to Calabi-Yau categories and the Cardy condition, and how to extract such data from pivotal 2-categories.
These are notes for a minicourse on Hall algebras given at the ICTP in Trieste in January 2006. After giving the definition and first properties of Hall algebras, we study in some details the classical Hall algebra, the Hall algebra of quivers, and the Hall algebra of coherent sheaves on smooth projective curves. The last section deals with the Hall algebras in the context of derived categories. (The figures only seem to come out nicely in the .ps file)
We compute the group of braided tensor autoequivalences and the Brauer-Picard group of the representation category of the small quantum group $\mathfrak{u}_q(\mathfrak{g})$, where $q$ is a root of unity.
We introduce the notions of categorical integrals and categorical cointegrals of a finite tensor category $\mathcal{C}$ by using a certain adjunction between $\mathcal{C}$ and its Drinfeld center $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{C})$. These notions can be identified with integrals and cointegrals of a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra $H$ if $\mathcal{C}$ is the representation category of $H$. We generalize basic results on integrals and cointegrals of a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra (such as the existence, the uniqueness, and the Maschke theorem) to finite tensor categories. Motivated by results of Lore…
Tannaka duals of Hopf algebras inside semisimple tensor categories are used to construct orbifold tensor categories, which are shown to include the Tannaka dual of the dual Hopf algebras. The second orbifolds are then canonically isomorphic to the initial tensor categories.
We study exact module categories over the representation categories of finite-dimensional quasi-Hopf algebras. As a consequence we classify exact module categories over some families of pointed tensor categories with cyclic group of invertible objets of order p, where p is a prime number.
A graded tensor category over a group $G$ will be called a strongly $G$-graded tensor category if every homogeneous component has at least one multiplicativily invertible object. Our main result is a description of the module categories over a strongly $G$-graded tensor category as induced from module categories over tensor subcategories associated with the subgroups of $G$.
We describe equivalence classes of exact indecomposable module categories over a finite graded tensor category. When applied to a pointed fusion category, our results coincide with the ones obtained in [S. Natale, On the equivalence of module categories over a group-theoretical fusion category, SIGMA, Symmetry Integrability Geom. Methods Appl. 13 Paper 042, 9 p. (2017)].
The purpose of this article is to study the existence of Deligne's tensor product of abelian categories by comparing it with the well-known ten- sor product of finitely cocomplete categories. The main result states that the former exists precisely when the latter is an abelian category, and moreover in this case both tensor products coincide. An example of two abelian categories whose Deligne tensor product does not exist is given.
We study the question of dualizability in higher Morita categories of locally presentable tensor categories and braided tensor categories. Our main results are that the 3-category of rigid tensor categories with enough compact projectives is 2-dualizable, that the 4-category of rigid braided tensor categories with enough compact projectives is 3-dualizable, and that (in characteristic zero) the 4-category of braided fusion categories is 4-dualizable. Via the cobordism hypothesis, this produces respectively 2, 3 and 4-dimensional framed local topological field theories. In particular, we produc…
A graded tensor category over a group $G$ will be called a crossed product tensor category if every homogeneous component has at least one multiplicatively invertible object. Our main result is a description of the crossed product tensor categories, graded monoidal functors, monoidal natural transformations, and braiding in terms of coherent outer $G$-actions over tensor categories.
Free products of semisimple tesnor categories are constructed with the help of polygonal presentation. The semisimplicity criterion is obtained for the Bisch-Jones' planar algebras as a byproduct.
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 …
We define equivariantization of tensor categories under tensor group scheme actions and give necessary and sufficient conditions for an exact sequence of tensor categories to be an equivariantization under a finite group or finite group scheme action. We introduce the notion of central exact sequence of tensor categories and use it in order to present an alternative formulation of some known characterizations of equivariantizations for fusion categories, and to extend these characterizations to equivariantizations of finite tensor categories under finite group scheme actions. In particular, we…
This is an expanded version of the notes of my three lectures at a NATO Advanced Study Institute ``Symmetric functions 2001: surveys of developments and perspectives" (Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge, UK; June 25-July 6, 2001). Lecture I presents a unified expression due to A. Berenstein and the author for generalized Littlewood-Richardson coefficients (= tensor product multiplicities) for any complex semisimple Lie algebra. Lecture II outlines a proof of this result; the main idea of the proof is to relate the LR-coefficients with canonical bases and total positivi…
In this short note we investigate the process of constructing auto-equivalences of modular tensor categories using invertible objects. We derive conditions on the invertible object for the resulting auto-equivalence to be either monoidal, braided, or pivotal. We also discuss the composition of these auto-equivalences constructed from invertible objects. To demonstrate the practicality of this construction, we construct auto-equivalences of several real-world examples of modular tensor categories.
We introduce, for a symmetric fusion category $\mathcal{A}$ with Drinfeld centre $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{A})$, the notion of $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{A})$-crossed braided tensor category. These are categories that are enriched over $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{A})$ equipped with a symmetric tensor product, while being braided monoidal with respect to the usual tensor product on $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{A})$. In the Tannakian case where $\mathcal{A}=\mathbf{Rep}(G)$ for a finite group $G$, the 2-category of $\mathcal{Z}(\mathcal{A})$-crossed braided categories is shown to be equivalent to the 2-category of $G…
We generalize the notion of ends and coends in category theory to the realm of module categories over finite tensor categories. We call this new concept "module (co)end". This tool allows us to give different proofs to several known results in the theory of representations of finite tensor categories. As a new application, we present a description of the relative Serre functor for module categories in terms of a module coend, in a analogous way as a Morita invariant description of the Nakayama functor of abelian categories presented in [J. Fuchs, G. Schaumann and C. Schweigert, Eilenberg-Watts…
The Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory correspondence predicts tensor equivalences between categories of matrix factorisations of certain polynomials and categories associated to the $N=2$ supersymmetric conformal field theories. We realise this correspondence for $x^d$ for any $d$, where previous results were limited to odd $d$. Our proof uses the fact that both sides of the correspondence carry the structure of module tensor categories over the category of $\mathbb{Z}_d$-graded vector spaces equipped with a non-degenerate braiding. This allows us to describe the CFT side as generated by …
We give a characterization of finite pointed tensor categories obtained as de-equivariantizations of finite-dimensional pointed Hopf algebras over abelian groups only in terms of the (cohomology class of the) associator of the pointed part. As an application we prove that every coradically graded pointed finite braided tensor category is a de-equivariantization of a finite dimensional pointed Hopf algebras over an abelian group.
We classify braided tensor categories over C of exponential growth which are quasisymmetric, i.e., the squared braiding is the identity on the product of any two simple objects. This generalizes the classification results of Deligne on symmetric categories of exponential growth, and of Drinfeld on quasitriangular quasi-Hopf algebras. In particular, we classify braided categories of exponential growth which are unipotent, i.e., those whose only simple object is the unit object. We also classify fiber functors on such categories. Finally, using the Etingof-Kazhdan quantization theory of Poisson …
The deformation cohomology of a tensor category controls deformations of its monoidal structure. Here we describe the deformation cohomology of tensor categories generated by one object (the so-called Schur-Weyl categories). Using this description we compute the deformation cohomology of free symmetric tensor categories generated by one object with an algebra of endomorphism free of zero-divisors. We compare the answers with the exterior invariants of the general linear Lie algebra.
We start the general structure theory of not necessarily semisimple finite tensor categories, generalizing the results in the semisimple case (i.e. for fusion categories), obtained recently in our joint work with D.Nikshych. In particular, we generalize to the categorical setting the Hopf and quasi-Hopf algebra freeness theorems due to Nichols-Zoeller and Schauenburg, respectively. We also give categorical versions of the theory of distinguished group-like elements in a finite dimensional Hopf algebra, of Lorenz's result on degeneracy of the Cartan matrix, and of the absence of primitive eleme…
Modular tensor categories are generalizations of the representation categories of quantum groups at roots of unity axiomatizing the properties necessary to produce 3-dimensional TQFTs. Although other constructions have since been found, quantum groups remain the most prolific source. Recently proposed applications to quantum computing have provided an impetus to understand and describe these examples as explicitly as possible, especially those that are "physically feasible." We survey the current status of the problem of producing unitary modular tensor categories from quantum groups, emphasiz…
We classify various types of graded extensions of a finite braided tensor category $\cal B$ in terms of its $2$-categorical Picard groups. In particular, we prove that braided extensions of $\cal B$ by a finite group $A$ correspond to braided monoidal $2$-functors from $A$ to the braided $2$-categorical Picard group of $\cal B$ (consisting of invertible central $\cal B$-module categories). Such functors can be expressed in terms of the Eilnberg-Mac~Lane cohomology. We describe in detail braided $2$-categorical Picard groups of symmetric fusion categories and of pointed braided fusion categorie…
We give two proofs of a level-rank duality for braided fusion categories obtained from quantum groups of type $C$ at roots of unity. The first proof uses conformal embeddings, while the second uses a classification of braided fusion categories associated with quantum groups of type $C$ at roots of unity. In addition we give a similar result for non-unitary braided fusion categories quantum groups of types $B$ and $C$ at odd roots of unity.
For each finite semisimple tensor category, we associate a quantum group (face algebra) whose comodule category is equivalent to the original one, in a simple natural manner. To do this, we also give a generalization of the Tannaka-Krein duality, which assigns a face algebra for each tensor category equipped with an embedding into a certain kind of bimodule category.
We show that direct limit completions of vertex tensor categories inherit vertex and braided tensor category structures, under conditions that hold for example for all known Virasoro and affine Lie algebra tensor categories. A consequence is that the theory of vertex operator (super)algebra extensions also applies to infinite-order extensions. As an application, we relate rigid and non-degenerate vertex tensor categories of certain modules for both the affine vertex superalgebra of $\mathfrak{osp}(1|2)$ and the $N=1$ super Virasoro algebra to categories of Virasoro algebra modules via certain …
This is the eighth part in a series of papers in which we introduce and develop a natural, general tensor category theory for suitable module categories for a vertex (operator) algebra. In this paper (Part VIII), we construct the braided tensor category structure, using the previously developed results.
We extend categorical Morita equivalence to finite tensor categories graded by a finite group $G$. We show that two such categories are graded Morita equivalent if and only if their equivariant Drinfeld centers are equivalent as braided $G$-crossed tensor categories.
For a finite tensor category $\mathcal C$ and a Hopf monad $T:\mathcal C\to \mathcal C$ satisfying certain conditions we describe exact indecomposable left $\mathcal C^T$-module categories in terms of left $\mathcal C$-module categories and some extra data. We also give a 2-categorical interpretation of the process of equivariantization of module categories.
We establish a set of general results to study how the Galois action on modular tensor categories interacts with fusion subcategories. This includes a characterization of fusion subcategories of modular tensor categories which are closed under the Galois action, and a classifcation of modular tensor categories which factor as a product of pointed and transitive categories in terms of pseudoinvertible objects. As an application, we classify modular tensor categories with two Galois orbits of simple objects and a nontrivial grading group.
We present an overview of the notions of exact sequences of Hopf algebras and tensor categories and their connections. We also present some examples illustrating their main features; these include simple fusion categories and a natural question regarding composition series of finite tensor categories.
Let k be any field. J-P. Serre proved that the spectrum of the Grothendieck ring of the k-representation category of a group is connected, and that the same holds in characteristic zero for the representation category of a Lie algebra over k. We say that a tensor category C over k is virtually indecomposable if its Grothendieck ring contains no nontrivial central idempotents. We prove that the following tensor categories are virtually indecomposable: Tensor categories with the Chevalley property; representation categories of affine group schemes; representation categories of formal groups; rep…
In this paper we study the relative tensor product of module categories over braided fusion categories using, in part, the notion of the relative center of a module category. In particular we investigate the canonical tensor category structure and braiding inherited by the relative tensor product when module categories are themselves tensor/braided. As a basic example we show that the category of representations of the fibre product of finite groups may be expressed in terms of the relative product and show how to multiply braided fusion categories arising from pre-metric groups. Also, we cons…
We classify finite pointed braided tensor categories admitting a fiber functor in terms of bilinear forms on symmetric Yetter-Drinfeld modules over abelian groups. We describe the groupoid formed by braided equivalences of such categories in terms of certain metric data, generalizing the well-known result of Joyal and Street for fusion categories. We study symmetric centers and ribbon structures of pointed braided tensor categories and examine their Drinfeld centers.
This is Part I of a series of papers constructing intertwining operator superalgebras and vertex tensor categories associated to the superconformal minimal models and other related models. In this paper, we construct the intertwining operator superalgebras and vertex tensor categories in the N=1 case.
We introduce Manifold tensor categories, which make precise the notion of a tensor category with a manifold of simple objects. A basic example is the category of vector spaces graded by a Lie group. Unlike classic tensor category theory, our setup keeps track of the smooth (and topological) structure of the manifold of simple objects. We set down the necessary definitions for Manifold tensor categories and a generalisation we term Orbifold tensor categories. We also construct a number of examples, most notably two families of examples we call Interpolated Tambara-Yamagami categories and Interp…
We extend \cite{G} to the nonsemisimple case. We define and study exact factorizations $\B=\A\bullet \C$ of a finite tensor category $\B$ into a product of two tensor subcategories $\A,\C\subset \B$, and relate exact factorizations of finite tensor categories to exact sequences of finite tensor categories with respect to exact module categories \cite{EG}. We apply our results to study exact factorizations of quasi-Hopf algebras, and extensions of a finite group scheme theoretical tensor category \cite{G2} by another one. We also provide several examples to illustrate our results.
For an abelian group $ A $, we study a close connection between braided crossed $ A $-categories with a trivialization of the $ A $-action and $ A $-graded braided tensor categories. Additionally, we prove that the obstruction to the existence of a trivialization of a categorical group action $T$ on a monoidal category $\mathcal{C}$ is given by an element $O(T)\in H^2(G,\operatorname{Aut}_\otimes(\operatorname{Id}_{\mathcal{C}}))$. In the case that $O(T)=0$, the set of obstructions form a torsor over $\operatorname{Hom}(G,\operatorname{Aut}_\otimes(\operatorname{Id}_{\mathcal{C}}))$, where $\o…
