An algebraic construction of boundary quantum field theory (Q533644)

Conformal Quantum Field Theory plays a crucial role in many research areas, either in pure Mathematics or in Physics. Boundary Quantum Field Theory, a related subject, is presently receiving an increasing attention. So does the operator algebraic approach. The paper by Longo and Witten is using these methods to provide new models on the Minkowski half-plane starting with a local conformal net \(\mathcal{A}\) of von Neumann algebras on \(\mathbb{R}\) and an element \(V\) of a unitary semigroup \(\mathcal{ E}(\mathcal{ A})\) associated with \(\mathcal{A}\). The structure of this semigroup is discussed in detail. By using a one-particle version version of Borcher's theorem and a standard subspace analysis, Longo and Witten provide an abstract analogue of the Beurling-Lax theorem allowing them to describe, in particular, all unitaries on the one-particle Hilbert space. Each such unitary is attached to a scattering function. One family of models is related to the Ising model.