A new quantum representation for canonical gravity and SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

Starting from Rovelli-Smolin's infinite-dimensional graded Poisson-bracket algebra of loop variables, we propose a new way of constructing a corresponding quantum representation. After eliminating certain quadratic constraints, we “integrate” an infinite-dimensional subalgebra of loop variables, using a formal group law expansion. With the help of techniques from the representation theory of semidirect-product groups, we find an exact quantum representation of the full classical Poisson-bracket algebra of loop variables, without any higher-order correction terms. This opens new ways of tackling the quantum dynamics for both canonical gravity and Yang-Mills theory.