IAS High Energy Theory Seminar

Lattice Edge Theories for Topological Phases of Matter

This seminar will be presented in-person in Wolfensohn Hall at the IAS and on Zoom.

For contact-tracing purposes all off-campus attendees must register for this seminar: 
REGISTRATION FORM

All in-person attendees must be fully vaccinated and masks are required in all indoor spaces (except while actively eating). Additionally, all off-campus attendees are required to upload proof of vaccination via the IAS CrowdPass App 

Abstract: Edge excitations of (2+1)D topological phases are usually described using continuum field theories. But the boundaries of some (2+1)D topological phases can also be described using lattice-like edge theories that have a finite dimensional Hilbert space for a finite size boundary. I will discuss several examples of such finite dimensional edge theories. The most interesting examples are ``ungappable'': they have the property that they cannot be gapped by any local interaction.

Date & Time

October 25, 2021 | 2:30pm – 3:30pm

Location

Wolfensohn Hall (behind Bloomberg Hall) & on Zoom

Speakers

Michael Levin

Affiliation

University of Chicago

Categories

Tags