Quantum invariants of hyperbolic knots and extreme values of trigonometric products

Abstract

In this paper we study the relation between the function $J_{4_1,0}$, which arises from a quantum invariant of the figure-eight knot, and Sudler's trigonometric product. We find $J_{4_1,0}$ up to a constant factor along continued fraction convergents to a quadratic irrational, and we show that its asymptotics deviates from the universal limiting behavior that has been found by Bettin and Drappeau in the case of large partial quotients. We relate the value of $J_{4_1,0}$ to that of Sudler's trigonometric product, and establish asymptotic upper and lower bounds for such Sudler products in response to a question of Lubinsky.