Uniqueness of real ring spectra up to higher homotopy

We discuss a notion of uniqueness up to $n$-homotopy and study examples from stable homotopy theory. In particular, we show that the $q$-expansion map from elliptic cohomology to topological $K$-theory is unique up to $3$-homotopy, away from the prime $2$, and that upon taking $p$-completions and ${\mathbf{F}}_p^{\times }$-homotopy fixed points, this map is uniquely defined up to $(2p-3)$-homotopy. Using this, we prove new relationships between Adams operations on connective and dualisable topological modular forms – other applications, including a construction of a connective model of Behrens’ $Q(N)$ spectra away from $2N$, will be explored elsewhere. The technical tool facilitating this uniqueness is a variant of the Goerss–Hopkins obstruction theory for real spectra, which applies to various elliptic cohomology and topological $K$-theories with a trivial complex conjugation action as well as some of their homotopy fixed points.