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Quantum Systems on Non-$k$-Hyperfinite Complexes: A Generalization of Classical Statistical Mechanics on Expander Graphs

We construct families of cell complexes that generalize expander graphs. These families are called non-$k$-hyperfinite, generalizing the idea of a non-hyperfinite (NH) family of graphs. Roughly speaking, such a complex has the property that one cannot remove a small fraction of points and be left with an object that looks $k-1$-dimensional at large scales. We then consider certain quantum systems on these complexes. A future goal is to construct a family of Hamiltonians such that every low energy state has topological order as part of an attempt to prove the quantum PCP conjecture. This goal is approached by constructing a toric code Hamiltonian with the property that every low energy state without vertex defects has topological order, a property that would not hold for any local system in any lattice $Z^d$ or indeed on any 1-hyperfinite complex. Further, such NH complexes find application in quantum coding theory. The hypergraph product codes[1] of Tillich and Zémor are generalized using NH complexes.