A modified BLM approach to quantum affine \({\mathfrak{gl}_n}\) (Q604217)

Let \(U\) denote the quantum enveloping algebra of \(gl_n\). A construction of \(U\) was developed by \textit{A. A. Beilinson, G. Lusztig} and \textit{R. MacPherson} [Duke Math. J. 61, No. 2, 655--677 (1990; Zbl 0713.17012)], referred to here as BLM. They start with the quantum Schur algebra \(S=S(n,r)\) and its geometric setting and give certain multiplication formulas. In particular, they give a spanning set and explicit multiplication formulas between generators and these spanning elements. This leads to the usual relations on the generators. They also define a limit algebra \(K\) and a completion of \(K\) in which the lifted spanning set is linearly independent and spans a subalgebra isomorphic to \(U\). This is the so-called BLM basis of \(U\). In the paper under review, the authors investigate the affine analogue of the BLM construction for \(U'\), the quantum enveloping algebra of affine \(gl_n\). The development for the quantum affine Schur algebra \(S'=S'(n,r)\) proceeds in an analogous way with multiplication formulas and the spanning set, yielding an algebra map from \(U'\) to \(S'\). However, the construction of \(K'\), the affine analogue of \(K\) requires a modified approach, which is to replace \(K\) by the direct sum \(K'(n)\) of all \(S'(n,r)\) for all non-negative \(r\). Then, using Ringel-Hall algebra theory, they obtain a completion of \(K'(n)\) and a monomorphism from \(U'\) into it. This modified approach is algebraic, in contrast to the mostly geometric approaches developed by various other authors.