A basis of type Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt for the quantum algebra of \(\widehat{sl}(2)\) (Q1320224)

It is well known that, to any symmetrizable Kac-Moody algebra \({\mathfrak g}\), one can associate a quantum group \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\), depending on a parameter \(q\in \mathbb{C}^ \times\) (\(q\) may also be regarded as an indeterminate, if one works over the field \(\mathbb{C}(q)\) of rational functions of \(q\)). \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\) is generated as an algebra by elements \(E_ i\), \(F_ i\), \(K_ i^{\pm 1}\), \(i= 1,\dots \text{rank}({\mathfrak g})\); let \(U^ +_ q\) be the subalgebra of \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\) generated by the \(E_ i\)'s. To find a Poincaré-Birkhoff- Witt basis (PBW basis) for \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\) is to choose, for each positive root \(\alpha\), a root vector \(E_ \alpha\), and a total ordering \(<\) on the set of positive roots, such that the ordered monomials \(E^{r_ 1}_{\alpha_ 1} E^{r_ 2}_{\alpha_ 2} \dots E^{r_ N}_{\alpha_ N}\), \(r_ 1,\dots, r_ N\in\mathbb{N}\), \(\alpha_ 1< \alpha_ 2< \dots< \alpha_ N\), form a vector space basis of \(U^ +_ q\). From this, it is easy to deduce a basis of \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\) itself. If \(\dim({\mathfrak g})< \infty\), such a basis was constructed by \textit{G. Lusztig} [Inroduction to quantum groups, Birkhäuser, Boston (1993; Zbl 0788.17010)] by using the action of a braid group on \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\). This is based on the fact that every root is in the Weyl group orbit of a simple root. If \(\dim({\mathfrak g})= \infty\), this last fact no longer holds, and Lusztig's construction breaks down. In this paper, the author overcomes this problem when \({\mathfrak g}\) is affine \(\text{sl}_ 2\). The real root vectors can be constructed by Lusztig's method, but the imaginary root vectors must be defined as certain iterated `\(q\)- commutators' of real root vectors. The paper is notable for its clarity of exposition. A construction of a PBW basis of \(U_ q({\mathfrak g})\) for all (untwisted) affine Lie algebras \({\mathfrak g}\) has since been given by \textit{J. Beck} [Braid group action and quantum affine algebras, Commun. Math. Phys. 165, No. 3, 555-568 (1994)] and by \textit{S. M. Khoroshkin} and \textit{V. N. Tolstoj} [The Cartan-Weyl basis and the universal \(R\)-matrix for quantum Kac-Moody algebras and superalgebras, in: Quantum symmetries, H. Doebner and V. Dobrev (eds.) (World Scientific, Teaneck, NJ, 1993)].