Unified Symmetry Classification of Many-Body Localized Phases
Abstract
The Altland--Zirnbauer (AZ) tenfold way classifies disordered non-interacting systems by symmetry, but a unified symmetry classification of interacting many-body localized (MBL) phases has been lacking. Here we develop such a classification directly from the emergent local integrals of motion (LIOMs). Our scheme rests on two complementary criteria: whether a symmetry is compatible with a complete LIOM algebra, and whether it enforces many-body degeneracies. These criteria partition MBL phases into stable, fragile, symmetry-protected topological, and unstable classes, and unify AZ classes, onsite Abelian symmetries, and continuous non-Abelian symmetries within a single operator-algebraic framework. Our results provide a systematic foundation for understanding how symmetry constrains the stability and structure of MBL phases.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Quantum many-body systems
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Quantum and electron transport phenomena
Publication details
- Journal / source
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Publication date
- 28 January 2026
- Document type
- Preprint