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We investigate the stability of weak symmetry-protected topological phases (SPTs) in the presence of short-range interactions, focusing on the tenfold way classification. Using Atiyah's Real $\mathit{KR}$-theory and Anderson-dualized bordism, we classify free and interacting weak phases across all Altland-Zirnbauer symmetry classes in low dimensions. Extending the free-to-interacting map of Freed-Hopkins, we mathematically compute how the behavior of free weak SPTs changes when interactions are introduced as well as predict intrinsically-interacting weak phases in certain classes. Our mathematical techniques involve T-duality and the James splitting of the torus. Our results provide a mathematical framework for understanding the persistence of weak SPTs under interactions, with potential implications for experimental and theoretical studies of these phases., Comment: 48 pages. Comments welcome!

We prove that every unitary invertible quantum field theory satisfies a generalization of the famous spin statistics theorem. To formulate this extension, we define a `higher spin' action of the stable orthogonal group $O$ on appropriate spacetime manifolds, which extends both the reflection involution and spin flip. On the algebraic side, we define a `higher statistics' action of $O$ on the universal target for invertible field theories, $I\mathbb{Z}$, which extends both complex conjugation and fermion parity $(-1)^F$. We prove that every unitary invertible quantum field theory intertwines these actions., Comment: 6 pages, no figures

We establish the spin-statistics theorem for topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) in the framework of Atiyah. We incorporate spin via spin structures on bordisms, and represent statistics using super vector spaces. Unitarity is implemented using dagger categories, in a manner that is equivalent to the approach of Freed-Hopkins, who employed $\mathbb{Z}/2$-equivariant functors to address reflection-positivity. A key contribution of our work is the introduction of the notion of fermionically dagger compact categories, which extends the well-established concept of dagger compact categories. We show that both the spin bordism category and the category of super Hilbert spaces are examples of fermionically dagger compact categories. The spin-statistics theorem for TQFTs emerges as a specific case of a more general result concerning symmetric monoidal dagger functors between fermionically dagger compact categories., Comment: 33+11 pages, 1 figure; v2 minor changes for publication in Communications in Mathematical Physics

We present a coherent definition of dagger $(\infty,n)$-category in terms of equivariance data trivialized on parts of the category. Our main example is the bordism higher category $\mathbf{Bord}_{n}^X$. This allows us to define a reflection-positive topological quantum field theory to be a higher dagger functor from $\mathbf{Bord}_{n}^X$ to some target higher dagger category $\mathcal{C}$. Our definitions have a tunable parameter: a group $G$ acting on the $(\infty,1)$-category $\mathbf{Cat}_{(\infty,n)}$ of $(\infty,n)$-categories. Different choices for $G$ accommodate different flavours of higher dagger structure; the universal choice is $G = \operatorname{Aut}(\mathbf{Cat}_{(\infty,n)}) = (\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z})^n$, which implements dagger involutions on all levels of morphisms. The Stratified Cobordism Hypothesis suggests that there should be a map $\mathrm{PL}(n) \to \operatorname{Aut}(\mathbf{AdjCat}_{(\infty,n)})$, where $\mathrm{PL}(n)$ is the group of piecewise-linear automorphisms of $\mathbb{R}^n$ and $\mathbf{AdjCat}_{(\infty,n)}$ the $(\infty,1)$-category of $(\infty,n)$-categories with all adjoints; we conjecture more strongly that $\operatorname{Aut}(\mathbf{AdjCat}_{(\infty,n)}) \cong \mathrm{PL}(n)$. Based on this conjecture we propose a notion of dagger $(\infty,n)$-category with unitary duality or $\mathrm{PL}(n)$-dagger category. We outline how to construct a $\mathrm{PL}(n)$-dagger structure on the fully-extended bordism $(\infty,n)$-category $\mathbf{Bord}_n^X$ for any stable tangential structure $X$; our outline restricts to a rigorous construction of a coherent dagger structure on the unextended bordism $(\infty,1)$-category $\mathbf{Bord}_{n,n-1}^X$. The article is a report on the results of a workshop held in Summer 2023, and is intended as a sketch of the big picture and an invitation for more thorough development., Comment: 18 pages; v2 corrected definition of dagger $(\infty,n)$-category with unitary duality

Dagger categories are an essential tool for categorical descriptions of quantum physics, but pose a challenge to category theorists as their definition is in tension with the ``principle of equivalence'' that lies at the heart of category theory. In this note we propose the alternative, coherent definition of an ``involutive category with a notion of positivity'' and show that the $2$-category formed by these is biequivalent to the $2$-category of dagger categories., Comment: 23 pages

We give a complete classification of topological field theories with reflection structure and spin-statistics in one and two spacetime dimensions. Our answers can be naturally expressed in terms of an internal fermionic symmetry group $G$ which is different from the spacetime structure group. Fermionic groups encode symmetries of systems with fermions and time reversing symmetries. We show that 1-dimensional topological field theories with reflection structure and spin-statistics are classified by finite dimensional hermitian representations of $G$. In spacetime dimension two we give a classification in terms strongly $G$-graded stellar Frobenius algebras. Our proofs are based on the cobordism hypothesis. Along the way, we develop some useful tools for the computation of homotopy fixed points of 2-group actions on bicategories., Comment: 74+56 pages, 6 figures

We show that two $\operatorname{Pin}$-structures on a surface differ by a diffeomorphism of the surface if and only if they are cobordant (for comparison, the analogous fact has already been shown for $\operatorname{Spin}$-structures). We give a construction that shows that this does not extend to dimensions greater than two. In addition, we count the number of $\operatorname{Pin}$-structures on a surface in a given cobordism class., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure

The tenfold way provides a strong organizing principle for invertible topological phases of matter. Mathematically, it is intimately connected with $K$-theory via the fact that there exist exactly ten Morita classes of simple real superalgebras. This connection is physically unsurprising, since weakly interacting topological phases are classified by $K$-theory. We argue that when strong interactions are present, care has to be taken when formulating the exact ten symmetry groups present in the tenfold way table. We study this phenomenon in the example of class D by providing two possible mathematical interpretations of a class D symmetry. These two interpretations of class D result in Morita-equivalent but different symmetry groups. As $K$-theory cannot distinguish Morita-equivalent protecting symmetry groups, the two approaches lead to the same classification of topological phases on the weakly interacting side. However, we show that these two different symmetry groups yield different interacting classifications in spacetime dimension 2+1. We use the approach to interacting topological phases using bordism groups, reducing the relevant classification problem to a spectral sequence computation., Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure, v2: major revision of first part based on discussions with an anonymous referee, v3: minor revision for publication in Letters in Mathematical Physics

Topological phases for free fermions in systems with crystal symmetry are classified by the topology of the valence band viewed as a vector bundle over the Brillouin zone. Additional symmetries, such as crystal symmetries which act non-trivially on the Brillouin zone, or time-reversal symmetry, endow the vector bundle with extra structure. These vector bundles are classified by a suitable version of K-theory. While relatively easy to define, these K-theory groups are notoriously hard to compute in explicit examples. In this paper we describe in detail how one can compute these K-theory groups starting with a decomposition of the Brillouin zone in terms of simple submanifolds on which the symmetries act nicely. The main mathematical tool is the Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequence associated to such a decomposition, which will not only yield the explicit result for several crystal symmetries, but also sheds light on the origin of the topological invariants. This extends results that have appeared in the literature so far. We also describe examples in which this approach fails to directly yield a conclusive answer, and discuss various open problems and directions for future research., Comment: 46 pages