$\hbar$-Vertex algebras and chiralization of star products

Abstract: We introduce the notion of a $\hbar$-vertex algebra, which is an algebraic structure similar to a vertex algebra, with a deformed translation covariance axiom. We study the structure theory of $\hbar$-vertex algebras, highlighting similarities with the structure theory of vertex algebras. We prove results analogous to Goddard's Uniqueness Theorem, Reconstruction Theorem, Borcherds Identity and OPE Expansion Formula. We also introduce the related notions of a $\hbar$-Lie conformal algebra and of a $\hbar$-Poisson vertex algebra. The main example of $\hbar$-vertex algebras are vertex algebras with deformed vertex operators $Y_\hbar(a,z)=(1+\hbar z)^{\Delta_a}Y(a,z)$, where $\Delta_a$ is the eigenvalue of a Hamiltonian operator $H$. We simplify the construction of the Zhu algebra using the formalism of $\hbar$-vertex algebras. As a further application of the theory developed in the first part of the paper, we discuss the chiralization of classical star-products. We compute explicit formulae for the chiralization of a class of star-products, including the Moyal-Weyl and the Gutt star-products. Putting $\hbar=0$, these formulae yield explicit formulae for deformation quantizations of a class of Poisson vertex algebras.