\(\text{sl}(3)\) link homology (Q1766291): Difference between revisions

In 2000, \textit{M. Khovanov} published his groundbreaking discovery of an \(sl(2)\)--link homology categorifying the \(sl(2)\)--link polynomial (the Kauffman state-sum model of the Jones polynomial) [Duke Math. J. 101, No. 3, 359--426 (2000; Zbl 0960.57005)]. This is a projective functor from the category of links and link cobordisms (modulo ambient isotopy) to the category of bigraded abelian groups and group homomorphisms. This important and influential paper constructs an \(sl(3)\)--link homology categorifying the \(sl(3)\)--link polynomial. To do so, Khovanov was forced to substantially modify his original set-up and to consider a functor from the category of Kuperberg webs and certain singular cobordisms between them, called \textit{foams}. In subsequent work, \textit{M. Khovanov} and \textit{L. Rozansky} constructed an \(sl(N)\)--link homology categorifying the \(sl(N)\)--link polynomial for arbitrary \(N\) [Fundam. Math. 199, No. 1, 1--91 (2008; Zbl 1145.57009)]. This required the introduction of a new type of singularity in the cobordisms, making the resulting theory much more difficult to calculate with.