Gapped interfaces in fracton models and foliated fields

Abstract

This work investigates the gapped interfaces of 3+1d fracton phases of matter using foliated gauge theories and lattice models. We analyze the gapped boundaries and gapped interfaces in X cube model, and the gapped interfaces between the X-cube model and the toric code. The gapped interfaces are either “undecorated” or “decorated”, where the “decorated” interfaces have additional Chern-Simons like actions for foliated gauge fields. We discover many new gapped boundaries and interfaces, such as (1) a gapped boundary for X-cube model where the electric lineons orthogonal to the interface become the magnetic lineons, the latter are the composite of magnetic planons; (2) a Kramers-Wannier-duality type gapped interface between the X-cube model and the toric code model from gauging planar subsystem one-form symmetry; and (3) an electromagnetic duality interface in the X-cube model that exchanges the electric and magnetic lineons.