“Quantum groups as global symmetries” - Dr. Bernardo Zan (DAMPT - Cambridge U.)

by Bernando Zan (Cambridge Uni.)

Wednesday 30 Oct 2024, 14:00 → 15:00 Europe/Rome

A500 (Dip.to di Fisica Univ. Genova)

Abstract: 
What is the most general internal symmetry a Quantum Field Theory can have? The answer to this question has significantly changed in the past decade, with the understanding of generalized symmetries such as non-invertible and p-form symmetries. An orthogonal direction, which so far has been unexplored, is that of quantum groups; these are some exotic symmetry algebras which are well known to play a role in lattice systems, some of which are critical, and should therefore play a role in two dimensional Conformal Field Theory. I will discuss this question in the case of the simplest quantum group Uq(sl2), giving both the general picture and studying a specific example arising from the continuum limit of a lattice model. I will discuss the consequences of this symmetry, and how this is related to ordinary theories (e.g. minimal models) where quantum groups are known to appear somehow indirectly.

Zan_Genova Talk.pdf