On the quantization of polygon spaces

TL;DR

This paper explores the geometric quantization of moduli spaces of polygons, revealing their structure as semi-classical integrable systems and connecting quantum invariants like 6j-symbols to classical geometry.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the quantization of polygon spaces leads to Toeplitz operators forming a semi-classical integrable system, linking quantum and classical geometric structures.

Findings

Quantum spaces admit bases concentrated on Lagrangian submanifolds.

Operators form a semi-classical integrable system with principal symbols as action coordinates.

Asymptotics of 6j-symbols are recovered through geometric quantization.

Abstract

Moduli spaces of polygons have been studied since the nineties for their topological and symplectic properties. Under generic assumptions, these are symplectic manifolds with natural global action-angle coordinates. This paper is concerned with the quantization of these manifolds and of their action coordinates. Applying the geometric quantization procedure, one is lead to consider invariant subspaces of a tensor product of irreducible representations of SU(2). These quantum spaces admit natural sets of commuting observables. We prove that these operators form a semi-classical integrable system, in the sense that they are Toeplitz operators with principal symbol the square of the action coordinates. As a consequence, the quantum spaces admit bases whose vectors concentrate on the Lagrangian submanifolds of constant action. The coefficients of the change of basis matrices can be estimated in terms of geometric quantities. We recover this way the already known asymptotics of the classical 6j-symbols.