Boundary supersymmetry of 1+1 d fermionic SPT phases (2011.12320v3)

Abstract: We prove that the boundaries of all non-trivial 1+1 dimensional intrinsically fermionic symmetry-protected-topological phases, protected by finite on-site symmetries (unitary or anti-unitary), are supersymmetric quantum mechanical systems. This supersymmetry does not require any fine-tuning of the underlying Hamiltonian, arises entirely as a consequence of the boundary 't Hooft anomaly that classifies the phase and is related to a `Bose-Fermi' degeneracy different in nature from other well known degeneracies such as Kramers doublets.