Let V be an N-graded, simple, self-contragredient, C_2-cofinite vertex operator algebra. We show that if the S-transformation of the character of V is a linear combination of characters of V-modules, then the category C of grading-restricted generalized V-modules is a rigid tensor category. We further show, without any assumption on the character of V but assuming that C is rigid, that C is a factorizable finite ribbon category, that is, a not-necessarily-semisimple modular tensor category. As a consequence, we show that if the Zhu algebra of V is semisimple, then C is semisimple and thus V is rational. The proofs of these theorems use techniques and results from tensor categories together with the method of Moore-Seiberg and Huang for deriving identities of two-point genus-one correlation functions associated to V. We give two main applications. First, we prove the conjecture of Kac-Wakimoto and Arakawa that C_2-cofinite affine W-algebras obtained via quantum Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction of admissible-level affine vertex algebras are strongly rational. The proof uses the recent result of Arakawa and van Ekeren that such W-algebras have semisimple (Ramond twisted) Zhu algebras. Second, we use our rigidity results to reduce the "coset rationality problem" to the problem of C2-cofiniteness for the coset. That is, given a vertex operator algebra inclusion U⊗V↪A with A, U strongly rational and U, V a pair of mutual commutant subalgebras in A, we show that V is also strongly rational provided it is C_2-cofinite.

Let V be a vertex operator algebra with a category C of (generalized) modules that has vertex tensor category structure, and thus braided tensor category structure, and let A be a vertex operator (super)algebra extension of V. We employ tensor categories to study untwisted (also called local) A-modules in C, using results of Huang-Kirillov-Lepowsky showing that A is a (super)algebra object in C and that generalized A-modules in C correspond exactly to local modules for the corresponding (super)algebra object. Both categories, of local modules for a C-algebra and (under suitable conditions) of generalized A-modules, have natural braided monoidal category structure, given in the first case by Pareigis and Kirillov-Ostrik and in the second case by Huang-Lepowsky-Zhang. Our main result is that the Huang-Kirillov-Lepowsky isomorphism of categories between local (super)algebra modules and extended vertex operator (super)algebra modules is also an isomorphism of braided monoidal (super)categories. Using this result, we show that induction from a suitable subcategory of V-modules to A-modules is a vertex tensor functor. We give two applications. First, we derive Verlinde formulae for regular vertex operator superalgebras and regular (1/2)ℤ-graded vertex operator algebras by realizing them as (super)algebra objects in the vertex tensor categories of their even and ℤ-graded components, respectively. Second, we analyze parafermionic cosets C=Com(V_L,V) where L is a positive definite even lattice and V is regular. If the category of either V-modules or C-modules is understood, then our results classify all inequivalent simple modules for the other algebra and determine their fusion rules and modular character transformations. We illustrate both directions with several examples.

Given a gauged linear sigma model (GLSM) $\mathcal{T}_{X}$ realizing a projective variety $X$ in one of its phases, i.e. its quantum K\"ahler moduli has a geometric point, we propose an \emph{extended} GLSM $\mathcal{T}_{\mathcal{X}}$ realizing the homological projective dual category $\mathcal{C}$ to $D^{b}Coh(X)$ as the category of B-branes of the Higgs branch of one of its phases. In most of the cases, the models $\mathcal{T}_{X}$ and $\mathcal{T}_{\mathcal{X}}$ are anomalous and the analysis of their Coulomb and mixed Coulomb-Higgs branches gives information on the semiorthogonal/Lefschetz decompositions of $\mathcal{C}$ and $D^{b}Coh(X)$. We also study the models $\mathcal{T}_{X_{L}}$ and $\mathcal{T}_{\mathcal{X}_{L}}$ that correspond to homological projective duality of linear sections $X_{L}$ of $X$. This explains why, in many cases, two phases of a GLSM are related by homological projective duality. We study mostly abelian examples: linear and Veronese embeddings of $\mathbb{P}^{n}$ and Fano complete intersections in $\mathbb{P}^{n}$. In such cases, we are able to reproduce known results as well as produce some new conjectures. In addition, we comment on the construction of the HPD to a nonabelian GLSM for the Pl\"ucker embedding of the Grassmannian $G(k,N)$.