Three-dimensional Gauge Theories Research Articles

Confinement-Higgs and deconfinement-Higgs transitions in three-dimensional Z(2) LGT

We reexamine by numerical simulation the phase structure of the three-dimensional Abelian lattice gauge theory with Z(2) gauge fields coupled to Z(2)-valued Higgs fields. Concretely, we explore two different order parameters which are able to distinguish the three phases of the theory: (i) the Fredenhagen-Marcu operator used to discriminate between deconfinement and confinement/Higgs phases and (ii) the Greensite-Matsuyama overlap operator proposed recently to distinguish confinement and Higgs phases. The latter operator is an analog of the overlap Edwards-Anderson order parameter for spin glasses. According to it, the Higgs phase is realized as a glassy phase of the gauge system. For this reason standard tricks for simulations of spin-glass phases are utilized in this work, namely tempered Monte Carlo and averaging over replicas. In addition, we also present results for a certain definition of distance between Higgs field configurations. Finally, we calculate various gauge-invariant correlation functions in order to extract the corresponding masses. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Initial tensor construction and dependence of the tensor renormalization group on initial tensors

We propose a method to construct a tensor network representation of partition functions without singular value decompositions nor series expansions. The approach is demonstrated for one- and two-dimensional Ising models and we study the dependence of the tensor renormalization group (TRG) on the form of the initial tensors and their symmetries. We further introduce variants of several tensor renormalization algorithms. Our benchmarks reveal a significant dependence of various TRG algorithms on the choice of initial tensors and their symmetries. However, we show that the boundary TRG technique can eliminate the initial tensor dependence for all TRG methods. The numerical results of TRG calculations can thus be made significantly more robust with only a few changes in the code. Furthermore, we study a three-dimensional Z2 gauge theory without gauge fixing and confirm the applicability of the initial tensor construction. Our method can straightforwardly be applied to systems with longer range and multisite interactions, such as the next-nearest neighbor Ising model. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Decomposition squared

In this paper, we test and extend a proposal of Gu, Pei, and Zhang for an application of decomposition to three-dimensional theories with one-form symmetries and to quantum K theory. The theories themselves do not decompose, but, OPEs of parallel one-dimensional objects (such as Wilson lines) and dimensional reductions to two dimensions do decompose, sometimes in two independent ways. We apply this to extend conjectures for quantum K theory rings of gerbes (realized by three-dimensional gauge theories with one-form symmetries) via both orbifold partition functions and gauged linear sigma models.

Confining strings in three-dimensional gauge theories beyond the Nambu-Gotō approximation

We carry out a systematic study of the effective bosonic string describing confining flux tubes in SU(N) Yang-Mills theories in three spacetime dimensions. While their low-energy properties are known to be universal and are described well by the Nambu-Gotō action, a non-trivial dependence on the gauge group is encoded in a series of undetermined subleading corrections in an expansion around the limit of an arbitrarily long string. We quantify the first two of these corrections by means of high-precision Monte Carlo simulations of Polyakov-loop correlators in the lattice regularization. We compare the results of novel lattice simulations for theories with N = 3 and 6 color charges, and report an improved estimate for the N = 2 case, discussing the approach to the large-N limit. Our results are compatible with analytical bounds derived from the S-matrix bootstrap approach. In addition, we also present a new test of the Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture for the SU(3) theory in three dimensions, finding that the lattice results for the Polyakov-loop correlation function are in excellent agreement with the predictions of the Svetitsky-Yaffe mapping, which are worked out quantitatively applying conformal perturbation theory to the three-state Potts model in two dimensions. The implications of these results are discussed.

The star–square relation and the generalized star–triangle relation from 3d supersymmetric dualities I

We study duality transformations of the star–square relation and the generalized star–triangle relation for Ising-like lattice spin models. The lattice spin models are obtained via gauge/YBE correspondence which connects the supersymmetric gauge theories and lattice spin models of statistical mechanics. By the use of integral identities coming from the duality of three-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories, we construct hyperbolic, lens hyperbolic, trigonometric, and rational solutions to the duality transformations. These duality transformations allow us to construct spin lattice models with four-spin (the star–square relation) and three-spin (the generalized star–triangle relation) interactions.

Cluster transformations, the tetrahedron equation, and three-dimensional gauge theories

Cluster transformations, the tetrahedron equation, and three-dimensional gauge theories

Anderson localization of emergent quasiparticles: Spinon and vison interplay at finite temperature in a Z2 gauge theory in three dimensions

Fractional statistics of quasiparticle excitations often plays an important role in the detection and characterization of topological systems. In this paper, we investigate the case of a three-dimensional (3D) Z2 gauge theory, where the excitations take the form of bosonic spinon quasiparticle and vison flux tubes, with mutual semionic statistics. We focus on an experimentally relevant intermediate temperature regime, where sparse spinons hop coherently on a dense quasistatic and stochastic vison background. The effective Hamiltonian reduces to a random-sign bimodal tight-binding model, where both the particles and the disorder are borne out of the same underlying quantum spin liquid (QSL) degrees of freedom, and the coupling between the two is purely driven by the mutual fractional statistics. We study the localization properties and observe a mobility edge located close to the band edge, whose transition belongs to the 3D Anderson model universality class. Spinons allowed to propagate through the quasistatic vison background appear to display quantum diffusive behavior. When the visons are allowed to relax, in response to the presence of spinons in equilibrium, we observe the formation of vison depletion regions slave to the support of the spinon wavefunction. We discuss how this behavior can give rise to measurable effects in the relaxation, response and transport properties of the system and how these may be used as signatures of the mutual semionic statistics and as precursors of the QSL phase arising in the system at lower temperatures.

Toward tensor renormalization group study of three-dimensional non-Abelian gauge theory

Abstract We propose a method to represent the path integral over gauge fields as a tensor network. We introduce a trial action with variational parameters and generate gauge field configurations with the weight defined by the trial action. We construct initial tensors with indices labelling these gauge field configurations. We perform the tensor renormalization group (TRG) with the initial tensors and optimize the variational parameters. As a first step to the TRG study of non-Abelian gauge theory in more than two dimensions, we apply this method to three-dimensional pure SU(2) gauge theory. Our result for the free energy agrees with the analytical results in the weak and strong coupling regimes.

Three-dimensional Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theory from a D3-brane background with D-instantons

By constructing the configuration of D3-branes with D(-1)-branes as D-instantons, we study the three-dimensional Yang-Mills Chern-Simons theory in holography. Due to the presence of the D-instantons, the D7-branes with discrepant embedding functions are able to be introduced in order to include the fundamental fermions (as flavors) and the Chern-Simons term (at very low energy) in the dual theory. The vacuum structure at zero temperature is studied in the soliton background and it illustrates the topological phase transition in the presence of instantons. Moreover, since the confinement/deconfinement phase transition could be holographically identified as the Hawking-Page transition in the bulk, we accordingly calculate the critical temperature of the deconfinement phase transition by collecting the bulk onshell action as the thermodynamical free energy. On the other hand, we evaluate the difference of the entanglement entropy in slab configuration by using the RT formula since the confinement may also be characterized by the entanglement entropy. Altogether we find the behavior of the critical temperature is in qualitative agreement with the behavior of the critical length determined by the entanglement entropy which implies the entanglement entropy could indeed be a character of the confinement in our setup and the D3-D(-1) system would be a remarkable approach to study the three-dimensional gauge theory.

Lattice gauge theories in the presence of a linear gauge-symmetry breaking.

We study the effects of gauge-symmetry breaking (GSB) perturbations in three-dimensional lattice gauge theories with scalar fields. We study this issue at transitions in which gauge correlations are not critical and the gauge symmetry only selects the gauge-invariant scalar degrees of freedom that become critical. A paradigmatic model in which this behavior is realized is the lattice CP^{1} model or, more generally, the lattice Abelian-Higgs model with two-component complex scalar fields and compact gauge fields. We consider this model in the presence of a linear GSB perturbation. The gauge symmetry turns out to be quite robust with respect to the GSB perturbation: the continuum limit is gauge invariant also in the presence of a finite small GSB term. We also determine the phase diagram of the model. It has one disordered phase and two phases that are tensor and vector ordered, respectively. They are separated by continuous transition lines, which belong to the O(3), O(4), and O(2) vector universality classes, and which meet at a multicritical point. We remark that the behavior at the CP^{1} gauge-symmetric critical point substantially differs from that at transitions in which gauge correlations become critical, for instance at transitions in the noncompact lattice Abelian-Higgs model that are controlled by the charged fixed point: in this case, the behavior is extremely sensitive to GSB perturbations.

Dynamics of QCD3 with rank-two quarks and duality

Three-dimensional gauge theories coupled to fermions can develop interesting nonperturbative dynamics. Here we study in detail the dynamics of SU(N ) gauge theories coupled to a Dirac fermion in the rank-two symmetric and antisymmetric representation. We argue that when the Chern-Simons level is sufficiently small the theory develops a quantum phase with an emergent topological field theory. When the Chern-Simons level vanishes, we further argue that a baryon condenses and hence baryon symmetry is spontaneously broken. The infrared theory then consists of a Nambu-Goldstone boson coupled to a topological field theory. Our proposals also lead to new fermion-fermion dualities involving fermions in two-index representations. We make contact between our proposals and some recently discussed aspects of four-dimensional gauge theories. This leads us to a proposal for the domain wall theories of non-supersymmetric gauge theories with fermions in two-index representations. Finally, we discuss some aspects of the time-reversal anomaly in theories with a one-form symmetry.

Three-dimensional 𝒩 = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories and partition functions on Seifert manifolds: A review

We give a pedagogical introduction to the study of supersymmetric partition functions of 3D [Formula: see text] supersymmetric Chern–Simons-matter theories (with an [Formula: see text]-symmetry) on half-BPS closed three-manifolds — including [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and any Seifert three-manifold. Three-dimensional gauge theories can flow to nontrivial fixed points in the infrared. In the presence of 3D [Formula: see text] supersymmetry, many exact results are known about the strongly-coupled infrared, due in good part to powerful localization techniques. We review some of these techniques and emphasize some more recent developments, which provide a simple and comprehensive formalism for the exact computation of half-BPS observables on closed three-manifolds (partition functions and correlation functions of line operators). Along the way, we also review simple examples of 3D infrared dualities. The computation of supersymmetric partition functions provides exceedingly precise tests of these dualities.

Three-dimensional finite temperature Z2 gauge theory with tensor network scheme

We apply a tensor network scheme to finite temperature Z2 gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions. Finite size scaling analysis with the spatial extension up to Nσ = 4096 at the temporal extension of Nτ = 2, 3, 5 allows us to determine the transition temperature and the critical exponent ν at high level of precision, which shows the consistency with the Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture.

Self-correction in Wegner's three-dimensional Ising lattice gauge theory

Motivated by the growing interest in self-correcting quantum memories, we study the feasibility of self-correction in classical lattice systems composed of bounded degrees of freedom with local interactions. We argue that self-correction, including a requirement of stability against external perturbation, cannot be realized in system with broken global symmetries such as the 2d Ising model, but that systems with local, i.e. gauge, symmetries have the required properties. Previous work gave a three-dimensional quantum system which realized a self-correcting classical memory. Here we show that a purely classical three dimensional system, Wegner's 3D Ising lattice gauge model, can also realize this self-correction despite having an extensive ground state degeneracy. We give a detailed numerical study to support the existence of a self-correcting phase in this system, even when the gauge symmetry is explicitly broken. More generally, our results obtained by studying the memory lifetime of the system are in quantitative agreement with the phase diagram obtained from conventional analysis of the system's specific heat, except that self-correction extends beyond the topological phase, past the lower critical temperature.

Three-dimensional gauge theories with supersymmetry enhancement

We conjecture infrared emergent $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetry for a class of three-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ $U(1)$ gauge theories coupled with a single chiral multiplet. One example is the case where $U(1)$ gauge group has the Chern-Simons level $-\frac{3}2$ and the chiral multiplet has gauge charge $+1$. Other examples are related to this example either by known dualities or rescaling the Abelian gauge field. We give three independent evidences for the conjecture: 1) exact match between the central charges of the $U(1)$ R-symmetry current and the $U(1)$ topological symmetry current, 2) semi-classical construction of the $\mathcal{N}=4$ stress-tensor multiplet, and 3) an IR duality between a direct product of the two copies of the 3d theory on the one hand, and an $\mathcal{N}=4$ theory obtained by gauging the diagonal $SU(2)$ flavor symmetry of the $T[SU(2)]$ theory, on the other. The duality in 3) follows from geometrical aspects of the 3d-3d correspondence.

3d s-confinement for three-index matters

We present s-confinement phases for three-index matters in three-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories. We find that the 3d mathcal{N}=2 SU(6) and USp(6) gauge theories with three-index anti-symmetric matters show confining phases. The exact super-potentials which describe their low-energy dynamics are derived. We check the validity of our analysis in various ways, including superconformal indices and some deformations.

Global Symmetries, Counterterms, and Duality in Chern-Simons Matter Theories with Orthogonal Gauge Groups

We study three-dimensional gauge theories based on orthogonal groups. Depending on the global form of the group these theories admit discrete \thetaθ-parameters, which control the weights in the sum over topologically distinct gauge bundles. We derive level-rank duality for these topological field theories. Our results may also be viewed as level-rank duality for SO(N)_{K}SO(N)K Chern-Simons theory in the presence of background fields for discrete global symmetries. In particular, we include the required counterterms and analysis of the anomalies. We couple our theories to charged matter and determine how these counterterms are shifted by integrating out massive fermions. By gauging discrete global symmetries we derive new boson-fermion dualities for vector matter, and present the phase diagram of theories with two-index tensor fermions, thus extending previous results for SO(N)SO(N) to other global forms of the gauge group.

Loop Braiding Statistics and Interacting Fermionic Symmetry-Protected Topological Phases in Three Dimensions

We study Abelian braiding statistics of loop excitations in three-dimensional (3D) gauge theories with fermionic particles and the closely related problem of classifying 3D fermionic symmetry-protected topological (FSPT) phases with unitary symmetries. It is known that the two problems are related by turning FSPT phases into gauge theories through gauging the global symmetry of the former. We show that there exist certain types of Abelian loop braiding statistics that are allowed only in the the presence of fermionic particles, which correspond to 3D "intrinsic" FSPT phases, i.e., those that do not stem from bosonic SPT phases. While such intrinsic FSPT phases are ubiquitous in 2D systems and in 3D systems with anti-unitary symmetries, their existence in 3D systems with unitary symmetries was not confirmed previously due to the fact that strong interaction is necessary to realize them. We show that the simplest unitary symmetry to support 3D intrinsic FSPT phases is $\mathbb{Z}_2\times\mathbb{Z}_4$. To establish the results, we first derive a complete set of physical constraints on Abelian loop braiding statistics. Solving the constraints, we obtain all possible Abelian loop braiding statistics in 3D gauge theories, including those that correspond to intrinsic FSPT phases. Then, we construct exactly soluble state-sum models to realize the loop braiding statistics. These state-sum models generalize the well-known Crane-Yetter and Dijkgraaf-Witten models.

Three-dimensional anomalous twisted gauge theories with global symmetry: Implications for quantum spin liquids

Topological spin liquids can be described by topological gauge theories with global symmetry. Due to the presence of both nontrivial bulk deconfined gauge fluxes and global symmetry, topological spin liquids are examples of the so-called "Symmetry Enriched Topological phases" (SET). In this paper, we find that, in some twisted versions of topological gauge theories (with discrete Abelian gauge group $G_g$), implementing a global symmetry (denoted by $G_s$) is anomalous although symmetry charge carried by topological point-like excitations is normally fractionalized and classified by the second cohomology group. To demonstrate the anomaly, we fully gauge the global symmetry, rendering a new gauge theory that is not gauge invariant. Therefore, the SET order of the ground state is anomalous, which cannot exist in 3D system alone. Such anomalous state construction generalizes the "2D surface topological order" to 3D. A concrete example with $G_g=\mathbb{Z}_2\times\mathbb{Z}_4$ and $G_s=\mathbb{Z}_2$ is calculated.

Bosonizing three-dimensional quiver gauge theories

We start with the recently conjectured 3d bosonization dualities and gauge global symmetries to generate an infinite sequence of new dualities. These equate theories with non-Abelian product gauge groups and bifundamental matter. We uncover examples of Bose/Bose and Fermi/Fermi dualities, as well as a sequence of dualities between theories with scalar matter in two-index representations. Our conjectures are consistent with level/rank duality in massive phases.