Categorification of integral group rings extended by one dimension

Abstract

The integral group rings $\mathbb{Z}G$ for finite groups $G$ are precisely those fusion rings whose basis elements have Frobenius-Perron dimension 1, and each is categorifiable in the sense that it arises as the Grothendieck ring of a fusion category. Here we analyze the structure and representation theory of fusion rings with a basis of elements whose Frobenius-Perron dimensions take exactly one value distinct from 1. Our goal is a set of results which assist in characterizing when such fusion rings are categorifiable. As proof of concept, we completely classify the categorifiable near-group fusion rings for an infinite collection of finite abelian groups, a task that to-date has only been completed for three such groups.