Square root of gerbe holonomy and invariants of time-reversal-symmetric topological insulators

Abstract: The Feynman amplitudes with the two-dimensional Wess-Zumino action functional have a geometric interpretation as bundle gerbe holonomy. We present details of the construction of a distinguished square root of such holonomy and of a related 3d-index and briefly recall the application of those to the building of topological invariants for time-reversal-symmetric two- and three-dimensional crystals, both static and periodically forced.