Filtered Frobenius algebras in monoidal categories

Abstract

We develop filtered-graded techniques for algebras in monoidal categories with the main goal of establishing a categorical version of Bongale's 1967 result: A filtered deformation of a Frobenius algebra over a field is Frobenius as well. Towards the goal, we first construct a monoidal associated graded functor, building on prior works of Ardizzoni-Menini, of Galatius et al., and of Gwillian-Pavlov. Next, we produce equivalent conditions for an algebra in a rigid monoidal category to be Frobenius in terms of the existence of categorical Frobenius form; this builds on work of Fuchs-Stigner. These two results of independent interest are then used to achieve our goal. As an application of our main result, we show that any exact module category over a symmetric finite tensor category $\mathcal{C}$ is represented by a Frobenius algebra in $\mathcal{C}$. Several directions for further investigation are also proposed.