Quantizing Braids and Other Mathematical Objects: The General Quantization Procedure

Abstract

Extending the methods from our previous work on quantum knots and quantum graphs, we describe a general procedure for quantizing a large class of mathematical structures which includes, for example, knots, graphs, groups, algebraic varieties, categories, topological spaces, geometric spaces, and more. This procedure is different from that normally found in quantum topology. We then demonstrate the power of this method by using it to quantize braids. This general method produces a blueprint of a quantum system which is physically implementable in the same sense that Shor's quantum factoring algorithm is physically implementable. Mathematical invariants become objects that are physically observable.