Continuum field theory of 3D topological orders with emergent fermions and braiding statistics

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive continuum field theory framework for 3D topological orders, capturing all topological data including braiding, fusion, and statistics, with a focus on emergent fermions and anomaly-free conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a unified topological $BF$ field theory with twisted terms and a $K$-matrix $BB$ term to systematically analyze all topological data in 3D topological orders.

Findings

Formulated general topological actions for braiding processes with emergent fermions.

Derived formulas showing how the $K$-matrix $BB$ term confines excitations.

Explored gauge invariance constraints on topological data realizations.

Abstract

Universal topological data of topologically ordered phases can be captured by topological quantum field theory in continuous space time by taking the limit of low energies and long wavelengths. While previous continuum field-theoretical studies of topological orders in $3$D real space focus on either self-statistics, braiding statistics, shrinking rules, fusion rules or quantum dimensions, it is yet to systematically put all topological data together in a unified continuum field-theoretical framework. Here, we construct the topological $BF$ field theory with twisted terms (e.g., $AAdA$ and $AAB$) as well as a $K$-matrix $BB$ term, in order to simultaneously explore all such topological data and reach anomaly-free topological orders. Following the spirit of the famous $K$-matrix Chern-Simons theory of $2$D topological orders, we present general formulas and systematically show how the $K$-matrix $BB$ term confines topological excitations, and how self-statistics of particles is transmuted between bosonic one and fermionic one. In order to reach anomaly-free topological orders, we explore, within the present continuum field-theoretical framework, how the principle of gauge invariance fundamentally influences possible realizations of topological data. More concretely, we present the topological actions of (i) particle-loop braidings with emergent fermions, (ii) multiloop braidings with emergent fermions, and (iii) Borromean-Rings braidings with emergent fermions, and calculate their universal topological data. Together with the previous efforts, our work paves the way toward a more systematic and complete continuum field-theoretical analysis of exotic topological properties of $3$D topological orders. Several interesting future directions are also discussed.