A Treatise on Quantum Clifford Algebras

TL;DR

This paper explores the structure and applications of Quantum Clifford Algebras, presenting new constructions, product formulas, and their relevance to quantum field theory, with implications for robotics and non-perturbative physics.

Contribution

It introduces five alternative constructions of QCAs, derives new product formulas, and connects Cliffordization to quantum field theory, expanding the mathematical framework and potential applications.

Findings

Derived grade free product formulas for Grassmann-Cayley algebras.

Revealed non-trivial antipode generalizations and non-existence of integrals in low dimensions.

Connected Cliffordization to time- and normal-ordered functionals in quantum field theory.

Abstract

Quantum Clifford Algebras (QCA), i.e. Clifford Hopf gebras based on bilinear forms of arbitrary symmetry, are treated in a broad sense. Five alternative constructions of QCAs are exhibited. Grade free Hopf gebraic product formulas are derived for meet and join of Grassmann-Cayley algebras including co-meet and co-join for Grassmann-Cayley co-gebras which are very efficient and may be used in Robotics, left and right contractions, left and right co-contractions, Clifford and co-Clifford products, etc. The Chevalley deformation, using a Clifford map, arises as a special case. We discuss Hopf algebra versus Hopf gebra, the latter emerging naturally from a bi-convolution. Antipode and crossing are consequences of the product and co-product structure tensors and not subjectable to a choice. A frequently used Kuperberg lemma is revisited necessitating the definition of non-local products and interacting Hopf gebras which are generically non-perturbative. A `spinorial' generalization of the antipode is given. The non-existence of non-trivial integrals in low-dimensional Clifford co-gebras is shown. Generalized cliffordization is discussed which is based on non-exponentially generated bilinear forms in general resulting in non unital, non-associative products. Reasonable assumptions lead to bilinear forms based on 2-cocycles. Cliffordization is used to derive time- and normal-ordered generating functionals for the Schwinger-Dyson hierarchies of non-linear spinor field theory and spinor electrodynamics. The relation between the vacuum structure, the operator ordering, and the Hopf gebraic counit is discussed. QCAs are proposed as the natural language for (fermionic) quantum field theory.