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The spin-statistics theorem for TFTs
October 25, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Quantum Field Theory and Physical Mathematics Seminar
Speaker: Luuk Stehouwer, Dalhousie University
Title: The spin-statistics theorem for TFTs
Abstract: In quantum field theory (QFT) the spin-statistics theorem says that in a unitary QFT, a particle has half-integer spin if and only if it is a fermion. I show how to phrase this statement in the language of functorial field theories. More precisely, I explain when a functorial field theory “has fermions” and “has spinors” and when they are “related”. I will then restrict to topological field theories (TFTs) and define unitary TFTs. There are counterexamples of the spin-statistics theorem for non-unitary TFTs. I will prove that every unitary TFT satisfies the spin-statistics theorem.