Quantum groupoids

We introduce a general notion of quantum universal enveloping algebroids (QUE algebroids), or quantum groupoids, as a unification of quantum groups and star-products. Some basic properties are studied including the twist construction and the classical limits. In particular, we show that a quantum groupoid naturally gives rise to a Lie bialgebroid as a classical limit. Conversely, we formulate a conjecture on the existence of a quantization for any Lie bialgebroid, and prove this conjecture for the special case of regular triangular Lie bialgebroids. As an application of this theory, we study the dynamical quantum groupoid ${\cal D}\otimes_{\hbar} U_{\hbar}(\frakg)$, which gives an interpretation of the quantum dynamical Yang-Baxter equation in terms of Hopf algebroids.