Symmetry protected self correcting quantum memory in three space dimensions

Abstract: Whether self correcting quantum memories can exist at non-zero temperature in a physically reasonable setting remains a great open problem. It has recently been argued [1] that symmetry protected topological (SPT) systems in three space dimensions subject to a strong constraint -- that the quantum dynamics respect a 1-form symmetry -- realize such a quantum memory. We illustrate how this works in Walker-Wang codes, which provide a specific realization of these desiderata. In this setting we show that it is sufficient for the 1-form symmetry to be enforced on a sub-volume of the system which is measure zero in the thermodynamic limit. This strongly suggests that the `SPT' character of the state is not essential. We confirm this by constructing an explicit example with a trivial (paramagnetic) bulk that realizes a self correcting quantum memory. We therefore show that the enforcement of a 1-form symmetry on a measure zero sub-volume of a three dimensional system can be sufficient to stabilize a self correcting quantum memory at non-zero temperature.