The higher Morita category of E_n-algebras

Abstract: We introduce simple models for associative algebras and bimodules in the context of non-symmetric

i n f t y

-operads, and use these to construct an

(i n f t y, 2)

-category of associative algebras, bimodules, and bimodule homomorphisms in a monoidal

i n f t y

-category. By working with

i n f t y

-operads over

D e l t a^{n, e x t o p}

we iterate these definitions and generalize our construction to get an

(i n f t y, n + 1)

-category of

E_{n}

-algebras and iterated bimodules in an

E_{n}

-monoidal

i n f t y

-category. Moreover, we show that if

m a t h c a l C

is an

E_{n + k}

-monoidal

i n f t y

-category then the

(i n f t y, n + 1)

-category of

E_{n}

-algebras in

m a t h c a l C

has a natural

E_{k}

-monoidal structure. We also identify the mapping

(i n f t y, n)

-categories between two

E_{n}

-algebras, which allows us to define interesting non-connective deloopings of the Brauer space of a commutative ring spectrum.

Review text

In various flavors of higher categorical structures, an important question is to understand \(\mathbb E_n\)-algebras, namely, objects with \(n\) compatible monoidal structures. The author considers ways of approaching these objects in the setting of \((\infty,1)\)-categories, specifically in the model of quasi-categories. The first main result of the paper is that the \(\mathbb E_n\)-algebras in a sufficiently nice \(\mathbb E_n\)-monoidal quasi-category naturally assemble into an \((\infty,n+1)\)-category. Furthermore, the author proves that if that quasi-category has an \(\mathbb E_{m+n}\)-monoidal structure, then this \((\infty,n+1)\)-category will have an \(\mathbb E_m\)-structure. Additionally, the mapping \((\infty,n)\)-categories between objects in this \((\infty, n+1)\)-category are equivalent to the \((\infty,n)\)-category arising from the \((\infty,1)\)-category of bimodules over the two relevant objects. A key tool in this work is that of certain higher operads which facilitate the constructions. These general results are motivated by two more specific areas of research. The first is the question of defining higher Brauer groups. Given a commutative ring \(R\), one can consider the Azumaya algebras over \(R\), which assemble into a 2-groupoid which whose set of components recovers the classical Brauer group; this construction fits within the context of \(\mathbb E_1\)-algebras. The main results of this paper allow for a construction in the context of more general \(\mathbb E_n\)-algebras. For small values of \(n\), the author recovers known work on Brauer groups of commutative ring spectra and on Picard groups, but the much more general definition leads to many further questions for investigation. The second application concerns topological quantum field theories, and specifically those which take values in the higher categories of \(\mathbb E_n\)-algebras under investigation here. Similar questions have been investigated from a more geometric perspective, but lead to new questions about how the different constructions relate.

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