Quantization of infinitesimal braidings and pre-Cartier quasi-bialgebras

Abstract

In this paper we extend Cartier's deformation theorem of braided monoidal categories admitting an infinitesimal braiding to the non-symmetric case. The algebraic counterpart of these categories is the notion of a pre-Cartier quasi-bialgebra, which extends the well-known notion of quasitriangular quasi-bialgebra given by Drinfeld. Our result implies that one can quantize the infinitesimal $\mathcal{R}$-matrix of any Cartier quasi-bialgebra. We further discuss the emerging concepts of infinitesimal quantum Yang-Baxter equation and Cartier ring, the latter containing braid groups with additional generators that correspond to infinitesimal braidings. Explicit deformations of the representation categories of the gauge deformed quasitriangular quasi-bialgebras $E(n)$ are provided.

29 pages, to appear in J. London Math. Soc., comments are welcome