Higgs condensates are symmetry-protected topological phases: from cluster states to superconductors

Abstract: Deconfined phases of gauge theories are now well-understood as spontaneously breaking higher-form symmetries. How does the Higgs phase fit in this way of thinking? In this talk, we will explore how the Higgs phase does not just preserve such a higher-form symmetry, but is in a non-trivial symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phase. This sheds new light on the distinction between confined and Higgs phases. In fact, the remarkable properties of superconductors---which are Higgs phases for U(1) gauge theory---can be derived as SPT properties! This is based on the works arxiv:2010.00607, arxiv:2211.01376 and arxiv:2303.08136.

HEP - phenomenologyHEP - theorymathematical physicscategory theory

Audience: researchers in the topic

Symmetry Seminar

Series comments: Weekly seminar on generalized symmetries in QFT, string theory and related topics.