On diagonal representatives in boundary condition matrices on orbifolds

Abstract

We study diagonal representatives of boundary condition matrices on the orbifolds $S^1/Z_2$ and $T^2/Z_m$ ($m=2, 3, 4, 6$). We give an alternative proof of the existence of diagonal representatives in each equivalent class of boundary condition matrices on $S^1/Z_2$, using a matrix exponential representation, and show that they do not necessarily exist on $T^2/Z_2$, $T^2/Z_3$, and $T^2/Z_4$. Each equivalence class on $T^2/Z_6$ has a diagonal representative, because its boundary conditions are determined by a single unitary matrix.