Unified Symmetry Classification of Many-Body Localized Phases

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Authors: Yucheng Wang
Cited by: 0

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