Drinfeld-Hecke algebras over cocommutative algebras

Abstract

If A is a cocommutative algebra with coproduct, then so is the smash product algebra of a symmetric algebra Sym(V) with A, where V is an A-module. Such smash product algebras, with A a group ring or a Lie algebra, have families of deformations that have been studied widely in the literature; examples include symplectic reflection algebras and infinitesimal Hecke algebras. We introduce a family of deformations of these smash product algebras for general A, and characterize the PBW property. We then characterize the Jacobi identity for "grouplike" algebras (that include group rings and the nilCoxeter algebra), and precisely identify the PBW deformations in the example where A is the nilCoxeter algebra. We end with the more prominent case - where A is a Hopf algebra. We show the equivalence of several versions of the "deformed" relations in the smash product, and identify the PBW deformations which are Hopf algebras as well.