Homotopy algebras inspired by classical open-closed string field theory (Q852023)

From the authors' abstract: ``We define a homotopy algebra associated to classical open-closed strings. We call it an open-closed homotopy algebra (OCHA). It is inspired by Zwiebach's open-closed string field theory and also related to the situation of Kontsevich's deformation quantization. We show that it is actually a homotopy invariant notion; for instance, the minimal model theorem holds. Also, we show that our open-closed homotopy algebra gives us a general scheme for deformation of open string structures (\(A_\infty\)-algebras) by closed strings (\(L_\infty\)-algebras).'' The definition of \(A_\infty\) and \(L_\infty\)-algebras, including their weak versions, and morphisms are carefully recalled. The basic building block of an OCHA-algebra is the direct sum of an \(L_\infty\)-algebra \(H_c\) with an \(A_\infty\)-algebra \(H_0\) with further additional structures, e.g. \(H_0\) is a module over \(H_c\). In particular, it is required that there exists a family of maps \(\{n_{p,q}:H_c^{\otimes p}\otimes H_0^{\otimes q} \to H_0\}\) satisfying certain compatibility relations. In an appendix by M. Markl the interpretation of \(A_\infty\)-algebras over \(L_\infty\)-algebra as colored versions of strongly homotopy algebras is given.