Quantum groups and q-lattices in space

Abstract

Quantum groups lead to an algebraic structure that can be realized on quantum spaces. These are noncommutative spaces that inherit a well defined mathematical structure from the quantum group symmetry. In turn such quantum spaces can be interpreted as noncommutative configuration spaces for physical systems which carry a symmetry like structure. These configuration spaces will be generalized to noncommutative phase space. The definition of the noncommutative phase space will be based on a differential calculus on the configuration space which is compatible with the symmetry. In addition a conjugation operation will be defined which will allow us to define the phase space variables in terms of algebraically selfadjoint operators. An interesting property of the phase space observables will be that they will have a discrete spectrum. These noncommutative phase space puts physics on a lattice structure.