Rigid Calabi-Yau threefolds over \(\mathbb Q\) are modular (Q533117)

A complex Calabi-Yau threefold \(X\) is called rigid if it has no infinitesimal deformations; equivalently the third Betti number is minimal: \[ b_3(X)=2. \] If \(X\) is defined over some number field, the \(\ell\)-adic cohomology groups \(H^3(X)\) thus give rise to a compatible system of 2-dimensional Galois representations. Rigid Calabi-Yau threefolds can therefore be considered as an analogue of elliptic curves. If \(X\) is defined over \(\mathbb Q\), we can ask for its modularity (associating it to some Hecke eigenform of weight 4) as conjectured by Mazur, Serre and others. Based on Serre's conjecture for Galois representations over finite fields (proved by Khare and Wintenberger), the authors prove the modularity of all rigid Calabi-Yau threefolds over \(\mathbb{Q}\), using what they refer to as ``Serre's method''. The proof is unconditional contrary to previous results requiring specific primes of good reduction (Dieulefait and Manoharmayum). Independent proofs have been given by Dieulefait and Kisin. The authors also comment on the non-rigid case where -- still quite exceptionally -- the Galois representation on \(H^3(X)\) decomposes into 2-dimensional representations.