Lectures on the topological recursion for Higgs bundles and quantum curves

TL;DR

This paper introduces quantum curves, highlighting their connection to topological recursion from random matrix theory and the quantization of Hitchin spectral curves, with examples linking geometry and enumeration problems.

Contribution

It reveals a new relationship between topological recursion and the quantization of Hitchin spectral curves, providing a geometric framework and illustrative examples.

Findings

Established a link between topological recursion and Hitchin spectral curves

Provided concrete examples connecting geometry and enumeration

Discussed a general framework for quantum curves

Abstract

The paper aims at giving an introduction to the notion of quantum curves. The main purpose is to describe the new discovery of the relation between the following two disparate subjects: one is the topological recursion, that has its origin in random matrix theory and has been effectively applied to many enumerative geometry problems; and the other is the quantization of Hitchin spectral curves associated with Higgs bundles. Our emphasis is on explaining the motivation and examples. Concrete examples of the direct relation between Hitchin spectral curves and enumeration problems are given. A general geometric framework of quantum curves is also discussed.