Noncommutative minimal surfaces (Q312457)

A minimal surface in classical differential geometry is charaterized by the fact that its embedding coordinates \(x^1,\dots,x^n\) are harmonic with respect to the Laplace operator of the surface. The authors define noncommutative minimal surfaces as Hermitian elements in the \(n\)-free module \({\mathcal F}_\hslash^n={\mathcal F}_\hslash\times \dots {\mathcal F}_\hslash\), where \({\mathcal F}_\hslash\) denotes a quotient skew field of the Weyl algebra \({\mathcal A}_\hslash\). This is the universal algebra with two generators \(U,V\) subject to the relation \[ UV-VU=i \hslash 1. \] Analogues of the derivation and Laplace operators are introduced, in order to define noncommutative harmonic coordinates. It is shown that this concept is invariant with respect to \(*\)-automorphisms of \({\mathcal F }_\hslash\). An analogue of the Weierstrass representation theorem is proved. Several examples are constructed.