Skein quantization and lattice gauge field theory (Q1809560)

The Kauffman bracket skein module is a deceptively simple construction, occurring naturally in several fields of mathematics and physics. This paper surveys various ways in which it is a quantization of a classical object. \textit{J. H. Przytycki} [Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci., Math. 39, No. 1/2, 91-100 (1991; Zbl 0762.57013)] and \textit{V. G. Turaev} [J. Sov. Math. 52, No. 1, 2799-2805 (1990); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. Leningr. Otd. Mat. Inst. Steklova 167, 79-89 (1988; Zbl 0673.57004)] introduced skein modules. Shortly thereafter, \textit{V. G. Turaev} [Braid group, knot theory and statistical mechanics, Adv. Ser. Math. Phys. 9, 59-95 (1989; Zbl 0732.57008)] discovered that they formed quantizations of loop algebras, and \textit{J. Hoste} and \textit{J. H. Przytycki} pursued related quantizations in [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 108, No. 3, 475-488 (1990; Zbl 0713.57007)]. We will look at some of the heuristic reasons for treating skein modules as deformations, and then realize the Kauffman bracket module as a precise quantization in two different ways. One type of quantization consists of the construction of a non-commutative algebra that deforms a commutative algebra in a manner coherent with a Poisson structure. It is well known that the \(SL_2 (\mathbb{C})\)-characters of a surface group form a Poisson algebra [\textit{I. Biswas} and \textit{K. Guruprasad}, Int. J. Math. 4, No. 4, 535-544 (1993; Zbl 0789.58017); \textit{W. M. Goldman}, Invent. Math. 85, 263-302 (1986; Zbl 0619.58021)]. The Kauffman bracket skein module is the appropriate deformation, a fact which emerged following a surprising discovery relating the skein module and \(SL_2(\mathbb{C})\) invariant theory. There is an alternative approach to the quantization of surface group characters, via lattice gauge field theory, due to \textit{V. V. Fock} and \textit{A. A. Rosly} [Theor. Math. Phys. 95, No. 2, 526-534 (1993); translation from Teor. Mat. Fiz. 95, No. 2, 228-238 (1993; Zbl 0849.58030)]. It was developed by \textit{A. Yu. Alekseev}, \textit{H. Grosse} and \textit{V. Schomerus} [Commun. Math. Phys. 172, No. 2, 317-358 (1995; Zbl 0842.58037); 174; No. 3, 561-604 (1996; Zbl 0842.58038)] and by \textit{E. Buffenoir} and \textit{P. Roche} [ibid. 170, No. 3, 669-698 (1995; Zbl 0843.17030); Chern-Simons theory on a lattice and a new description of 3-manifold invariants, q-alg/9509020]. We tie the approaches together by showing that the skein module coincides with the lattice quantization.