On certain maximal cyclic modules for the quantized special linear algebra at a root of unity

Abstract

By properly specializing the parameters irreducible modules of maximal dimension for the De Concini-Kac version of the Drinfeld-Jimbo quantum algebra in type $A$ may be transformed into modules over Lusztig's infinitesimal quantum algeba. Thus obtained modules have a simple socle and a simple head, and share the same dimension as the infinitesimal Verma modules. Despite these common features we find that they are never isomorphic to infinitesimal Verma modules unless they are irreducible. The same carry over to the modular setup for the special linear groups in positive characteristic.