Multiplicity free 6j symbol for

𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈𝑁 ) & Colored HOMFLY

polynomials from Chern-Simons
Theory
Zodinmawia, IIT Bombay
Based on work done with Satoshi Nawata and P. Ramadevi

arXiv:1302.5144 [hep-th] (to appear in Letters in

Mathematical Physics),
arXiv:1302.5143 [hep-th]
 Overview
• 6j symbols for quantum groups 𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈𝑁 )
• Closed form expression of 6j symbols for 𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈2 )
already exist.
• For 𝑈𝑞 𝑆𝑈𝑁 , we have managed to find a closed form
expression for some special cases.
• Our motivation and tools which allow us to find these
expression comes from the application of Chern-Simons
theory in the study of knot theory.
• These closed form expression allows us to find colored
HOMFLY polynomials of many knots and links colored by
symmetric representation.
 Quantum 6j symbol
6j symbols for quantum group
The quantum algebra 𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈(2))
𝑱𝒛 𝑱 𝒏 𝒏
− 𝒛 −
𝒒𝟐 − 𝒒 𝟐 𝒒𝟐 − 𝒒 𝟐
𝑱𝒛 , 𝑱± = ±𝑱± , 𝑱+ , 𝑱− = 𝟏 𝟏 ≡ [𝑱𝒛 ] 𝒏 =
−𝟐 𝟏 𝟏
𝒒𝟐 −𝒒 −𝟐
𝒒𝟐 − 𝒒

Representation: |𝒋, 𝒎ۧ

𝑱± |𝒋, 𝒎ۧ = 𝒋 ∓ 𝒎 𝒋 ± 𝒎 + 𝟏 |𝒋, 𝒎 ± 𝟏ۧ 𝑱𝒛 |𝒋, 𝒎ۧ = [𝒎] |𝒋, 𝒎ۧ

Quantum Racah coefficient:
𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗2 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3

(𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗2 ) ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3 =𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ (𝑇𝑗2 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3 )

𝑗1 𝑗2
| 𝑗1 , 𝑗2 𝑗12 , 𝑗3 ; 𝑗, 𝑚ۧ = ෍ 𝑎𝑗12𝑗23 |𝑗1 , 𝑗2 , 𝑗3 𝑗23 ; 𝑗, 𝑚ۧ
𝑗3 𝑗
𝑗23

Quantum Racah coefficient

𝑗1 𝑗2 𝑗12 𝑗 𝑗2
= (−1)𝑗1+𝑗2+𝑗3+𝑗4 2𝑗12 + 1 [2𝑗23 + 1]𝑎𝑗12𝑗23 1
𝑗3 𝑗4 𝑗23 𝑗3 𝑗4

The closed form expression of 6j symbol for 𝑈𝑞 𝑆𝑈2 is already known.

[Kirillov, Reshetikhin]
The quantum algebra 𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈𝑁 )

Fusion rules
𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑎𝑅12 𝑅23 𝑅12 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅ത 3 ⨂𝑅ത 4 )
𝑅3 𝑅4
R->Representation of SU(N) 𝑅23 ∈ (𝑅2 ⊗ 𝑅3 ) ∩ (𝑅ത 1 ⨂𝑅ത 4 )

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅12 𝑅 𝑅2
= 𝜖{𝑅𝑖} dim𝑞 𝑅12 dim𝑞 𝑅23 𝑎𝑅12𝑅23 1
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅23 𝑅3 𝑅4
 Four point conformal blocks of 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW
conformal field theory

𝑘 2 𝑢 −1
𝑘
𝑆= න 𝑑 𝑥 𝑇𝑟 𝜕 𝑔 𝜕𝑢 𝑔 + න 𝑑 3 𝑦 𝜖𝛼𝛽𝛾 𝑇𝑟 𝑔−1 𝜕 𝛼 𝑔𝑔−1 𝜕𝛽 𝑔𝑔−1 𝜕 𝛾 𝑔
16𝜋 𝑆 2 24𝜋 𝐵

𝑔𝜖𝑆𝑈(𝑁) 𝐵 → 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 − 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠 2 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦

 Four point conformal blocks of 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW
conformal field theory

Racah coefficient

𝑡 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅ത 3 ⨂𝑅ത 4 ) 𝑠 ∈ (𝑅2 ⊗ 𝑅3 ) ∩ (𝑅ത 1 ⨂𝑅ത 4 )

Six point conformal blocks

The coefficients which relates different 2n-point conformal block basis can
be expressed in terms of quantum Racah coefficient (6j-symbols).
 Chern-Simons Theory

• SU(N) Chern-Simons theory

• Observables are the Wilson loop operator

• The expectation value of Wilson loop operators in Chern-
Simons Theory does not depend on the size or shape of the
loop, but depends only on the topology of the loop.

Knot invariant

R= (fundamental) Higher rank representation

SU(2) Jones Polynomial 𝐽(𝐾; 𝑞) Colored Jones 𝐽𝑅 (𝐾; 𝑞)

SU(N) HOMFLY Polynomial 𝑃(𝐾; 𝑎, 𝑞) Colored HOMFLY 𝑃𝑅 (𝐾; 𝑎, 𝑞)

2𝜋𝑖
Variables: 𝑞=𝑒 𝑘+𝑁 , 𝑎 = 𝑞𝑁
Basic ingredient: Relation between C-S and CFT

𝑆𝑈(𝑁) Chern-Simons in a Hilbert space which is spanned by

manifold with boundary Σ conformal blocks of 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW
CFT on Σ.
[Witten]
|Ψۧ (Vector in the space
Of conformal blocks on
𝑆2)

𝑊=ΦΨ
‫ۦ‬Φ|

If boundary cuts the knots (links) at n point n-point conformal blocks

 States

dim𝑞 𝑅1 dim𝑞 𝑅2 dim𝑞 𝑅1 dim𝑞 𝑅2

Three-balls with 2n punctures would require 2n-point conformal
blocks.
Platting of braids with 2n strands Crossing

Every knots and links could be drawn as platting of braids.

[Birman]
 Eigenstates

(−)
𝑏1

Braiding eigenvalues

+ + − −
𝜆𝑡 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑡;𝑅1,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑅1 +𝐶𝑅2 −𝐶𝑡Τ2 𝜆𝑠 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑠;𝑅1 ,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑠Τ2
Example

10151 knot
Quantum 6j symbols for SU(2)

[Kirillov, Reshetikhin]
Identities

From definition of t and s

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅1

𝑅2 𝑅ത1 𝑅1 𝑅 ,𝑅 dim𝑞 𝑠
≡ 𝑎0𝑠 =𝜖s 1 2
𝑅2 𝑅ത2 dim𝑞 𝑅1 dim𝑞 𝑅2

Orthogonality:

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅2
෍ 𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑘𝑠 1 = 𝛿𝑡,𝑘 ෍ 𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑟 1 = 𝛿𝑠,𝑟
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4
𝑠 𝑡
Identities from equivalence of states
Could do it for 𝑅2 = 𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑥𝑒𝑠
Twist knots

L.H.S is known

[S.Nawata, Ramadevi, Zodinmawia], [kawagoe]

Twsit knots results help us to calculate Racah coeficients for

We observe some kind of a pattern from our results

Quantum 6j symbols

Type I

Type II
Proposal:

𝜔𝑖 =fundamental weights 𝛼𝑗∨ =coroot

𝜔𝑖 , 𝛼𝑗∨ = 𝛿𝑖𝑗
Empirical formula
Type I Type II

For N=2, C=1

Checks

62 , 63 , 73 , 75 knot

[Morozov et al]

Twist knot for different symmetric representation

Still needs rigorous proof

 What types of knots and links can we
study
• Four strand knots and links carrying symmetric representation

10154 knot
 10145 knot

724 link 633 link

 Future direction
• Extend results for other symmetric representation
(rectangular representation).
• Explore the large color behavior of 6j-symbols and their
relation with quantum character variety.
• We are currently working on SO(N) homology for trefoil and
figure of eight knot. This might help us in finding quantum
SO(N) Racah coefficients for simple cases.