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.
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,…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
Blatter-Montgomery duality theorem is generalized into braided tensor categories. It is shown that $Hom(V,W)$ is a braided Yetter-Drinfeld module for any two braided Yetter-Drinfeld modules $V$ and $W$.
We show that fusion categories $\Rep(\ku^σ_τ \Tc)$ of representations of the weak Hopf algebra coming from a vacant double groupoid $\Tc$ and a pair $(σ, τ)$ of compatible 2-cocyles are group-theoretical.
In the preceeding paper we constructed an infinite exact sequence a la Villamayor-Zelinsky for a symmetric finite tensor category. It consists of cohomology groups evaluated at three types of coefficients which repeat periodically. In the present paper we interpret the middle cohomology group in the second level of the sequence. We introduce the notion of coring categories and we obtain that the mentioned middle cohomology group is isomorphic to the group of Azumaya quasi coring categories. This result is a categorical generalization of the classical Crossed Product Theorem, which relates the …
We generalize the definition of an exact sequence of tensor categories due to Bruguières and Natale, and introduce a new notion of an exact sequence of (finite) tensor categories with respect to a module category. We give three definitions of this notion and show their equivalence. In particular, the Deligne tensor product of tensor categories gives rise to an exact sequence in our sense. We also show that the dual to an exact sequence in our sense is again an exact sequence. This generalizes the corresponding statement for exact sequences of Hopf algebras. Finally, we show that the middle ter…
We study good (i.e., semisimple) reductions of semisimple rigid tensor categories modulo primes. A prime p is called good for a semisimple rigid tensor category C if such a reduction exists (otherwise, it is called bad). It is clear that a good prime must be relatively prime to the Müger squared norm |V|^2 of any simple object V of C. We show, using the Ito-Michler theorem in finite group theory, that for group-theoretical fusion categories, the converse is true. While the converse is false for general fusion categories, we obtain results about good and bad primes for many known fusion categor…
Let H be a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra. We give a description of the tensor product of bimodule categories over Rep(H). When the bimodule categories are invertible this description can be given explicitly. We present some consequences of this description in the case H is a pointed Hopf algebra.
We study exact sequences of finite tensor categories of the form $\Rep G \to \C \to \D$, where $G$ is a finite group. We show that, under suitable assumptions, there exists a group $Γ$ and mutual actions by permutations $\rhd: Γ\times G \to G$ and $\lhd: Γ\times G \to Γ$ that make $(G, Γ)$ into matched pair of groups endowed with a natural crossed action on $\D$ such that $\C$ is equivalent to a certain associated crossed extension $\D^{(G, Γ)}$ of $\D$. Dually, we show that an exact sequence of finite tensor categories $\vect_G \to \C \to \D$ induces an $\Aut(G)$-grading on $\C$ whose neutral…
We develop a theory of descent and forms of tensor categories over arbitrary fields. We describe the general scheme of classification of such forms using algebraic and homotopical language, and give examples of explicit classification of forms. We also discuss the problem of categorification of weak fusion rings, and for the simplest families of such rings, determine which ones are categorifiable.
In this paper we follow the constructions of Turaev's book [Tu] closely, but with small modifications, to construct of a modular functor, in the sense of Kevin Walker, from any modular tensor category. We further show that this modular functor has duality and if the modular tensor category category is Hermitian or unitary, then the resulting modular functor is also Hermitian or unitary respectively.
Given a braided pivotal category $\mathcal C$ and a pivotal module tensor category $\mathcal M$, we define a functor $\mathrm{Tr}_{\mathcal C}:\mathcal M \to \mathcal C$, called the associated categorified trace. By a result of Bezrukavnikov, Finkelberg and Ostrik, the functor $\mathrm{Tr}_{\mathcal C}$ comes equipped with natural isomorphisms $τ_{x,y}:\mathrm{Tr}_{\mathcal C}(x \otimes y) \to \mathrm{Tr}_{\mathcal C}(y \otimes x)$, which we call the traciators. This situation lends itself to a diagramatic calculus of `strings on cylinders', where the traciator corresponds to wrapping a string…
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 …
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 construct certain tensor categories that are dominated by finitely many simple objects. Objects in these categories are modules over rings of algebra integers. We show how to obtain TQFTs defined over algebra integers from these categories.
This paper introduces methods for classifying actions of finite-dimensional Hopf algebras on path algebras of quivers, and more generally on tensor algebras $T_B(V)$ where $B$ is semisimple. We work within the broader framework of finite (multi-)tensor categories $\mathcal{C}$, classifying tensor algebras in $\mathcal{C}$ in terms of $\mathcal{C}$-module categories. We obtain two classification results for actions of semisimple Hopf algebras: the first for actions which preserve the ascending filtration on tensor algebras, and the second for actions which preserve the descending filtration on …
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.
We define the cohomology and formal deformation theories for algebra and bialgebra categories. We suggest some approaches to finding nontrivial deformations of the categories associated to the quantum groups by the work of Lusztig.
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.
Categorial actions of braided tensor categories are defined and shown to be the right framework for a discussion of the categorial structure related to the group of braids in the cylinder. A Kauffman polynomial of links in the solid torus is constructed.
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…
Exact indecomposable module categories over the tensor category of representations of Hopf algebras that are liftings of quantum linear spaces are classified.
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.
An example of double cross coproducts with both non-trivial left coaction and non-trivial right coaction in strictly braided tensor categories is given.
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.
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…
This is a set of lecture notes on the operator algebraic approach to 2-dimensional conformal field theory. Representation theoretic aspects and connections to vertex operator algebras are emphasized. No knowledge on operator algebras or quantum field theory is assumed.
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 introduce a tensor category O_+ (resp. O_{-}) of certain modules of gl_{\infty} with non-negative (resp. non-positive) integral central charges with the usual tensor product. We also introduce a tensor category O_f consisting of certain modules over GL(N) for all N. We show that the tensor categories O_+, O_{-} and O_f are semisimple abelian and all equivalent to each other. We give a formula to decompose a tensor product of two modules in each of these categories. We also introduce a tensor category O^w of certain modules over W_{1 +\infty} with non-negative integral central charges. We sh…
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.
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.
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 …
We introduce the notion of meromorphic tensor category and illustrate it in several examples. They include representations of quantum affine algebras, chiral algebras of Beilinson and Drinfeld, G-vertex algebras of Borcherds, and representations of GL over a local field. Hopefully the formalism will accomodate various tensor structures arising in relation to the quantized Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations and deformed CFT
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.
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.