The quantum trace as a quantum non-abelianization map

Abstract

We prove that the balanced Chekhov–Fock algebra of a punctured triangulated surface is isomorphic to a skein algebra which is a deformation of the algebra of regular functions of some abelian character variety. We first deduce from this observation a classification of the irreducible representations of the balanced Chekhov–Fock algebra at odd roots of unity, which generalizes to open surfaces the classification of Bonahon, Liu and Wong. We re-interpret Bonahon and Wong’s quantum trace map as a non-commutative deformation of some regular morphism between this abelian character variety and the [Formula: see text]-character variety. This algebraic morphism shares many resemblances with the non-abelianization map of Gaiotto, Moore, Hollands and Neitzke. When the punctured surface is closed, we prove that this algebraic non-abelianization map induces a birational morphism between a smooth torus and the relative [Formula: see text] character variety.