Infinite-Order Lattice Chiral Anomalies and CPT

Abstract

A key property of a global symmetry's anomaly is its order: the smallest integer $n$ for which the diagonal symmetry of the $n$-copy system is anomaly-free. While many familiar lattice anomalies have finite order, perturbative anomalies in the continuum$-$those captured by Feynman diagrams$-$have infinite order. In this paper, we show that the Onsager symmetry, a lattice realization of the chiral symmetry of a 1+1d massless Dirac fermion, has an order-two anomaly. However, imposing lattice CPT symmetry enhances this anomaly from order two to infinite order, yielding a lattice chiral symmetry structure that more faithfully matches the continuum chiral anomaly. We also discuss the corresponding 2+1d symmetry-protected topological phases for these infinite-order lattice anomalies.