Topological non-linear $σ$-model, higher gauge theory, and a realization of all 3+1D topological orders for boson systems

Abstract

A discrete non-linear $σ$-model is obtained by triangulate both the space-time $M^{d+1}$ and the target space $K$. If the path integral is given by the sum of all the complex homomorphisms $ϕ: M^{d+1} \to K$, with an partition function that is independent of space-time triangulation, then the corresponding non-linear $σ$-model will be called topological non-linear $σ$-model which is exactly soluble. Those exactly soluble models suggest that phase transitions induced by fluctuations with no topological defects (i.e. fluctuations described by homomorphisms $ϕ$) usually produce a topologically ordered state and are topological phase transitions, while phase transitions induced by fluctuations with all the topological defects give rise to trivial product states and are not topological phase transitions. If $K$ is a space with only non-trivial first homotopy group $G$ which is finite, those topological non-linear $σ$-models can realize all 3+1D bosonic topological orders without emergent fermions, which are described by Dijkgraaf-Witten theory with gauge group $π_1(K)=G$. Here, we show that the 3+1D bosonic topological orders with emergent fermions can be realized by topological non-linear $σ$-models with $π_1(K)=$ finite groups, $π_2(K)=Z_2$, and $π_{n>2}(K)=0$. A subset of those topological non-linear $σ$-models corresponds to 2-gauge theories, which realize and classify bosonic topological orders with emergent fermions that have no emergent Majorana zero modes at triple string intersections. The classification of 3+1D bosonic topological orders may correspond to a classification of unitary fully dualizable fully extended topological quantum field theories in 4-dimensions.