Quantum polylogarithms

Abstract

Multiple polylogarithms are periods of variations of mixed Tate motives. Conjecturally, they deliver all such periods. We introduce deformations of multiple polylogarithms depending on a complex parameter h. We call them quantum polylogarithms. Their asymptotic expansion as h goes to 0 recovers multiple polylogarithms. The quantum dilogarithm was studied by Barnes in the XIX century. Its exponent appears in many areas of Mathematics and Physics. Quantum polylogarithms satisfy a holonomic systems of modular difference equations with coefficients in variations of mixed Hodge-Tate structures of motivic origin. If h is a rational number, the quantum polylogarithms can be expressed via multiple polylogarithms. Otherwise quantum polylogarithms are not periods of variations of mixed motives, i.e. they can not be given by integrals of rational differential forms on algebraic varieties. Instead, quantum polylogarithms are integrals of differential forms built from both rational functions and exponentials of rational functions. We call them rational exponential integrals. We suggest that quantum polylogarithms reflect a very general phenomenon: Periods of variations of mixed motives should have quantum deformations.