A classifying space for phases of matrix product states (Q6884267)

This paper presents a rigorous topological classification of translation-invariant injective matrix product states (MPS) in one-dimensional quantum spin systems. The authors construct a classifying space \(B\) whose points correspond to gauge equivalence classes of MPS tensors with arbitrary physical and bond dimensions. Families of MPS parametrized by a compact Hausdorff space \(X\) are then described by continuous maps \(X \to B\), with topological phases corresponding to homotopy classes of such maps. The space \(B\) is obtained as the quotient of a contractible space \(E\) of MPS tensors by the action of the gauge group \(\mathcal{G} = GL(D,\mathbb{C})\), and a key technical achievement is the proof that the projection \(p: E \to B\) is a quasifibration, enabling the use of the long exact sequence in homotopy groups.\N\NThe principal result establishes that \(B\) is weakly homotopy equivalent to the product of Eilenberg-MacLane spaces \(K(\mathbb{Z},2) \times K(\mathbb{Z},3)\). Consequently, families of translation-invariant injective MPS are classified up to phase by a pair of cohomology classes in \(H^2(X;\mathbb{Z})\) and \(H^3(X;\mathbb{Z})\). The first invariant corresponds to the Chern number per unit cell, generalizing the Berry phase accumulated over closed loops in parameter space. The second invariant is identified as the Kapustin-Spodyneiko invariant, which describes a higher Berry curvature flow that captures subtle topological features beyond conventional Berry phase considerations.\N\NThis work makes significant contributions by providing a rigorous mathematical foundation for Kitaev's conjectural classification of invertible topological phases. By synthesizing techniques from algebraic topology (quasifibrations, Eilenberg-MacLane spaces), operator algebras (continuous fields of C*-algebras), and tensor network theory, the paper establishes a powerful framework for understanding topological invariants of MPS families. The results have important implications for the classification of symmetry-protected topological phases and offer a blueprint for similar classifications in higher dimensions.