Theoretical analysis reveals non-invertible duality defects via half-spacetime gauging in three-dimensional field theories, indicating new fusion rule structures for generalized higher symmetries.
A bstract We construct a class of non-invertible duality defects, in (2+1)d quantum field theories, arising from half-spacetime gauging of a 2-group symmetry. Starting from a parent theory with two discrete and Abelian 0-form symmetries and a prescribed mixed anomaly, we show that gauging one factor produces a theory with a 2-group symmetry, while gauging the other yields a theory with a non-invertible 0-form symmetry, whose fusion rules we derive explicitly. When the parent theory possesses three such symmetries with a cyclic anomaly structure, gauging different factors can produce mutually dual theories and the half-spacetime gauging of the 2-group is implemented by a non-invertible duality defect, whose fusion rules we obtain. We illustrate the construction with explicit examples, including a U (1) × U (1) × U (1) gauge theory and a general class of product theories. We also include a self-contained pedagogical introduction to the cohomological tools employed throughout the article.
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Bason et al. (2026) studied this question.
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