A quantum version of the algebra of distributions of \(\mathrm{SL}_2\) (Q1707959)

Let \(\lambda\) be a root of unity of odd order \(\ell\) and \(\mathfrak{u} = \mathfrak{u}_\lambda(\mathfrak{sl}_2)\) the small quantum group of order \(\ell^3\) (a slight variation of the usual one). The author introduces a chain of finite-dimensional complex algebras \((\mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2))_{N\in \mathbb N_0}\), with \(\mathcal D_{\lambda,N-1}(\mathfrak{sl}_2) \hookrightarrow \mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2)\) a cleft extension of \(\mathfrak{u}\)-comodule algebras. Putting all of them together in \(\mathcal D_{\lambda} (\mathfrak{sl}_2) := \lim\limits_{\to} \mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2)\) one gets a quantized version of the algebra of distributions of \(SL_2\) (in positive characteristic). The algebras \(\mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2)\) have triangular decompositions, hence highest weight modules; the classification of the simple representations of \(\mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2)\) follows in a familiar way. Every simple \(\mathcal D_{\lambda,N} (\mathfrak{sl}_2)\)-module admits a tensor product decomposition, where the first factor is a simple \(\mathfrak{u}_\lambda(\mathfrak{sl}_2)\)-module and the second factor is a simple \(\mathcal D_{\lambda,N-1}(\mathfrak{sl}_2)\)-module; this factorization is meant to be a quantum version of the celebrated Steinberg decomposition theorem. The motivation behind these constructions and results is a new approach to a character formula of simple modules over a simple algebraic group proposed in [\textit{G. Lusztig}, Represent. Theory 19, 3--8 (2015; Zbl 1316.20049)], in turn stimulated by the counterexamples to a previous conjecture presented in [\textit{G. Williamson}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 30, No. 4, 1023--1046 (2017; Zbl 1380.20015)].