It is shown that 2+1 dimensional quantum Yang-Mills theory, with an action consisting purely of the Chern-Simons term, is exactly soluble and gives a natural framework for understanding the Jones polynomial of knot theory in three dimensional terms. In this version, the Jones polynomial can be generalized fromS
3 to arbitrary three manifolds, giving invariants of three manifolds that are computable from a surgery presentation. These results shed a surprising new light on conformal field theory in 1+1 dimensions.

/pdf/quantum-field-theory-and-the-jones-polynomial-5897tp4ud9.pdf

Quantum field theory and the Jones polynomial

Topological quantum computation has emerged as one of the most exciting approaches to constructing a fault-tolerant quantum computer. The proposal relies on the existence of topological states of matter whose quasiparticle excitations are neither bosons nor fermions, but are particles known as non-Abelian anyons, meaning that they obey non-Abelian braiding statistics. Quantum information is stored in states with multiple quasiparticles, which have a topological degeneracy. The unitary gate operations that are necessary for quantum computation are carried out by braiding quasiparticles and then measuring the multiquasiparticle states. The fault tolerance of a topological quantum computer arises from the nonlocal encoding of the quasiparticle states, which makes them immune to errors caused by local perturbations. To date, the only such topological states thought to have been found in nature are fractional quantum Hall states, most prominently the $\ensuremath{\nu}=5∕2$ state, although several other prospective candidates have been proposed in systems as disparate as ultracold atoms in optical lattices and thin-film superconductors. In this review article, current research in this field is described, focusing on the general theoretical concepts of non-Abelian statistics as it relates to topological quantum computation, on understanding non-Abelian quantum Hall states, on proposed experiments to detect non-Abelian anyons, and on proposed architectures for a topological quantum computer. Both the mathematical underpinnings of topological quantum computation and the physics of the subject are addressed, using the $\ensuremath{\nu}=5∕2$ fractional quantum Hall state as the archetype of a non-Abelian topological state enabling fault-tolerant quantum computation.

Non-Abelian Anyons and Topological Quantum Computation

Anyons in an exactly solved model and beyond

Topological quantum computation has recently emerged as one of the most exciting approaches to constructing a fault-tolerant quantum computer. The proposal relies on the existence of topological states of matter whose quasiparticle excitations are neither bosons nor fermions, but are particles known as {it Non-Abelian anyons}, meaning that they obey {it non-Abelian braiding statistics}. Quantum information is stored in states with multiple quasiparticles, which have a topological degeneracy. The unitary gate operations which are necessary for quantum computation are carried out by braiding quasiparticles, and then measuring the multi-quasiparticle states. The fault-tolerance of a topological quantum computer arises from the non-local encoding of the states of the quasiparticles, which makes them immune to errors caused by local perturbations. To date, the only such topological states thought to have been found in nature are fractional quantum Hall states, most prominently the nu=5/2 state, although several other prospective candidates have been proposed in systems as disparate as ultra-cold atoms in optical lattices and thin film superconductors. In this review article, we describe current research in this field, focusing on the general theoretical concepts of non-Abelian statistics as it relates to topological quantum computation, on understanding non-Abelian quantum Hall states, on proposed experiments to detect non-Abelian anyons, and on proposed architectures for a topological quantum computer. We address both the mathematical underpinnings of topological quantum computation and the physics of the subject using the nu=5/2 fractional quantum Hall state as the archetype of a non-Abelian topological state enabling fault-tolerant quantum computation.

The aim of this paper is to construct new topological invariants of compact oriented 3-manifolds and of framed links in such manifolds. Our invariant of (a link in) a closed oriented 3-manifold is a sequence of complex numbers parametrized by complex roots of 1. For a framed link in S 3 the terms of the sequence are equale to the values of the (suitably parametrized) Jones polynomial of the link in the corresponding roots of 1. In the case of manifolds with boundary our invariant is a (sequence of) finite dimensional complex linear operators. This produces from each root of unity q a 3-dimensional topological quantum field theory

Invariants of 3-manifolds via link polynomials and quantum groups

This monograph provides a systematic treatment of topological quantum field theories (TQFT's) in three dimensions, inspired by the discovery of the Jones polynomial of knots, the Witten-Chern-Simons field theory, and the theory of quantum groups. The author, one of the leading experts in the subject, gives a rigorous and self-contained exposition of new fundamental algebraic and topological concepts that emerged in this theory. The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a construction of 3-dimensional TQFT's and 2-dimensional modular functors from so-called modular categories. This gives new knot and 3-manifold invariants as well as linear representations of the mapping class groups of surfaces. In Part II the machinery of 6j-symbols is used to define state sum invariants of 3-manifolds. Their relation to the TQFT's constructed in Part I is established via the theory of shadows. Part III provides constructions of modular categories, based on quantum groups and Kauffman's skein modules. This book is accessible to graduate students in mathematics and physics with a knowledge of basic algebra and topology. It will be an indispensable source for everyone who wishes to enter the forefront of this rapidly growing and fascinating area at the borderline of mathematics and physics. Most of the results and techniques presented here appear in book form for the first time.

Quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds

The generalization of Jones polynomial of links to the case of graphs inR
3 is presented. It is constructed as the functor from the category of graphs to the category of representations of the quantum groups.

/pdf/ribbon-graphs-and-their-invariants-derived-from-quantum-2jw8iqukd7.pdf

Ribbon graphs and their invariants derived from quantum groups

State sum invariants of 3 manifolds and quantum 6j symbols

On considere le fait que l'on peut construire des invariants d'isotopie P et F pour des liens en utilisant certaines solutions des equations de Yang Baxter

Vladimir Turaev

Papers

Invariants of 3-manifolds via link polynomials and quantum groups

Quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds

Ribbon graphs and their invariants derived from quantum groups

State sum invariants of 3 manifolds and quantum 6j symbols

The Yang-Baxter equation and invariants of links