Quantized representations of knot groups

Abstract

We propose a new non-commutative generalization of the representation variety and the character variety of a knot group. Our strategy is to reformulate the construction of the algebra of functions on the space of representations in terms of Hopf algebra objects in a braided category (braided Hopf algebra). The construction works under the assumption that the algebra is braided commutative. The resulting knot invariant is a module with a coadjoint action. Taking the coinvariants yields a new quantum character variety that may be thought of as an alternative to the skein module. We give concrete examples for a few of the simplest knots and links.