Decomposition, Condensation Defects, and Fusion

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper we outline the application of decomposition to condensation defects and their fusion rules. Briefly, a condensation defect is obtained by gauging a higher‐form symmetry along a submanifold, and so there is a natural interplay with notions of decomposition, the statement that d‐dimensional quantum field theories with global ‐form symmetries are equivalent to disjoint unions of other quantum field theories. We will also construct new (sometimes non‐invertible) defects, and compute their fusion products, again utilizing decomposition. An important role will be played in all these analyses by theta angles for gauged higher‐form symmetries, which can be used to select individual universes in a decomposition.