De-equivariantization of Hopf algebras. (Q2015175)

Let \(k\) be a field, and let \(H\) be a \(k\)-Hopf algebra with bijective antipode. Let \(^H\mathcal M\) denote the category of left \(H\)-comodules. A braided central Hopf subalgebra of \(H\) is a \(k\)-Hopf subalgebra \(K\), together with a bilinear form \(r\colon H\otimes K\to k\) which satisfies certain conditions (including that \(r\) is a Hopf skew pairing). If we let \(G=\text{Spec}(K)\) then \(r\) gives rise to a central inclusion of \(G\) in \(H\). We define the de-equivariantization, \(^H\mathcal M(G)\), of \(^H\mathcal M\) by \(G\) to be the category of left \(K\)-modules in \(^H\mathcal M\). In this work, the authors study \(^H\mathcal M(G)\), which is given a monoidal structure which comes from the usual tensor product on its subcategory of \(K\)-bimodules. This category, along with the monoidal structure, is said to be the de-equivariantization of \(H\) by \(K\). The main result is as follows. Let \((K,r)\) be a cleft braided central Hopf subalgebra with cointegral \(\pi\) such that \(\varepsilon\pi=\varepsilon\) and \(\pi(1)=1\). Then \(Q:=H/K^+H\) is a coquasi-bialgebra, and there is a monoidal equivalence between \(^H\mathcal M(G)\) and \(^Q\mathcal M\). The authors use the result above to study coquasi-Hopf algebras in the case where \(H\) is a coradically-graded pointed Hopf algebra.