The universal \({\mathfrak {sl}}(2)\) cohomology via webs and foams (Q1019146)

This paper defines and discusses a geometrical generalization of the Khovanov universal \(\mathfrak{sl}_2\)-link homology defined in [\textit{M. Khovanov}, Fundam. Math. 190, 179--190 (2006; Zbl 1101.57004)]. This invariant is naturally defined for any tangle, using the webs (oriented bivalent graphs with boundary) and dotted foams (oriented dotted cobordisms with singular arcs) category with \(\mathbb Z[i][X,a,h]\) coefficients. It is functorial with regard to tangle cobordisms and leads to an algebraic invariant for closed knotted surfaces (embedded locally flatly) in \(\mathbb R^4\). For connected surfaces, the invariant is totally described and depends only on the genus. Finally, the author gives a precise description of the two isomorphism classes of invariants obtained by giving complex values to the \(a\) and \(h\) parameters. This paper is a generalization of several other papers. The construction, the invariance under Reidemeister moves and the functoriality are 2--parameters adaptations of [\textit{C. Caprau}, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 8, 729-756 (2008; Zbl 1148.57016)], while the part on knotted surfaces generalizes [\textit{K. Tanaka}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 134, 3685--3689 (2006; Zbl 1118.57021)]. These two papers correspond actually to the case \(h=0\). The last part on complex evaluations for \(a\) and \(h\) is an adaptation of [\textit{M. Mackaay} and \textit{P. Vaz}, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 7, 1135--1169 (2007; Zbl 1170.57011)] which states a similar result about the universal \({\mathfrak {sl}}_3\)-link homology.