On the colored Jones polynomial and the Kashaev invariant (Q950766)

The authors give a new formula computing the colored Jones polynomial of a knot as the inverse of the quantum determinant of an almost quantum matrix whose entries are in the \(q\)-Weyl algebra of \(q\)-operators acting on the polynomial rings, evaluated at the constant function 1. The Kashaev invariant is shown to be another special evaluation of this determinant. Since the hyperbolic volume of the knot complement can be expressed in terms of the Fuglede-Kadison determinant, this paper suggests an approach to the volume conjecture using the quantum determinant as an approximation of the infinite-dimensional Fuglede-Kadison determinant.