A TQFT from quantum Teichmüller theory (Q2510670)

This paper defines a one parameter family of TQFTs for pseudo \(3\)-manifolds, i.e. unions of \(3\)-simplices that are manifolds away from the vertex set. These are then enhanced by attaching dihedral angles to the edges of each \(3\)-simplex. The space associated to the boundary is a space of tempered distributions. For non-trivial boundary the corresponding space is infinite dimensional. This means that only certain morphisms may be composed in the target category (categroid). This construction may be motivated by the volume conjecture, and indeed, the authors give a precise conjecture relating the asymptotics of the relevant invariants to the volume of a hyperbolic knot.