Finite-Dimensional Irreducible Representations of the Weyl Algebra in Characteristic $p>0$

Atonu Roy Chowdhury

Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Data and Sciences, BRAC University

📅 August 07, 2025

Atonu Roy Chowdhury

Abstract

The first Weyl algebra \(A_1\) arises naturally in quantum mechanics as the algebra generated by position and momentum operators, satisfying the canonical commutation relation \([∂,x]=1\). In characteristic zero, this algebra admits no nontrivial finite-dimensional representations. In contrast, over a field of characteristic \(p>0\), \(A_1\) has a much richer structure: it admits a large center and possesses many finite-dimensional irreducible representations. In this talk, we describe how these representations can be classified by central characters, and how their dimensions are governed by algebraic properties of the center.

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