Events

Date: 9 December 2025   Time: 14:00 - 15:30     

Location: MB503

Title: Phases of 2d Gauge Theories and Symmetric Mass Generation

Abstract: I will review the motivation and aims of symmetric mass generation (SMG), whereby fermions are gapped while preserving a chiral but necessarily non-anomalous symmetry. A simple model of SMG will be described, which leverages strongly-coupled gauge dynamics. I will then use CFT tools alongside bosonisation to derive the phase diagrams of a series of 2d Abelian gauge theories, including the 2d SMG model, in doing so establishing its validity. I will finally comment on the application of such constructions to symmetry-preserving boundary conditions and fermion-monopole scattering in 4d gauge theory.