ON FORMAL NON-COMMUTATIVE DEFORMATIONS OF

SMOOTH VARIETIES
arXiv:2402.15685v1 [math.AG] 24 Feb 2024

YUJIRO KAWAMATA

Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. NC deformations of smooth varieties 3
References 14

Abstract. We will develop a formal non-commutative (NC) deforma-

tion theory of smooth algebraic varieties X defined over a field k, and
describe a semi-universal deformation where the tangent space T 1 and
the obstruction space T 2 are given as subspaces of Hochschild cohomol-
ogy groups.
14D15, 16E40.

1. Introduction
We will develop a formal non-commutative (NC) deformation theory of
smooth algebraic varieties X defined over a field k. This is an extension
of the theory in [5] where the first order deformations are considered. We
will describe infinitesimal extensions of NC deformations by usingVthe tan-
gent space T 1 and the obstruction space T 2 given by T 1 ∼= H 0 (X,
2
TX ) ⊕
H 1 (X, TX ) and T 2 ∼= H 0 (X,
3
TX ) ⊕ H 1 (X, 2 TX ) ⊕ H 2 (X, TX ), where
V V
TX is the tangent sheaf of X (Theorem 2.2). We will prove that our NC
deformation functor satisfies the conditions of Schlessinger ([2]) so that it
has a semi-universal formal deformation (Theorem 2.7).
The following are the main results:
Theorem 1.1 (= Theorem 2.2). Let X be a smooth variety, let 0 → J →
R′ → R → 0 be a small extension of Artin local algebras (i.e., J is killed by
the maximal ideal), and let A be an NC deformation of X over R. Then the
following hold.
(1) There is a class ξ (3,0) ∈ J ⊗ H 0 (X, 3 TX ). If ξ (3,0) = 0, then there
V

is a class ξ (2,1) ∈ J ⊗ H 1 (X, 2 TX ). If ξ (2,1) = 0, then there is a class

V

ξ (1,2) ∈ J ⊗ H 2 (X, TX ). And ξ (3,0) = ξ (2,1) = ξ (1,2) = 0 hold if and only if

there exists an NC deformation A′ over R′ which induces A over R.
(2) Assume that ξ (3,0) = ξ (2,1) = ξ (1,2) = 0. Then the set of isomorphism
classes of ′
0
V2 all extensions
1
VA1 corresponds bijectively to a vector space J ⊗
(H (X, TX ) ⊕ H (X, TX )).
1
 (3) The obstruction classes ξ (3,0) , ξ (2,1) , ξ (1,2) are functorially determined
with respect to commutative diagrams of small extensions
0 −−−−→ J −−−−→ R′ −−−−→ R −−−−→ 0
  
(1.1) βJ y β′ y βy
  

0 −−−−→ J1 −−−−→ R1′ −−−−→ R1 −−−−→ 0.

Theorem 1.2 (= Theorem 2.7). Assume that n = dim T 1 and m = dim T 2
are finite. Then there exists a semi-universal NC deformation of X over
R := k[[t1 , . . . , tn ]]/(f1 , . . . , fm )
for some formal power series fi of degrees at least 2 and possibly vanish.
The infinitesimal deformations of the category of coherent sheaves Coh(X)
are described in [6]. The tangent space and the obstruction space are identi-
fied as Hochschild cohomologies HH 2 (X) and HH 3 (X). We note that there
is Hochschild-Kostant-Rosenberg isomorphism
p
HH (X) ∼
n q
M ^
= H (X, TX ).
p+q=n

Since we consider only NC deformations of the space X and not the category
of sheaves on it, we only have part of them. We plan to consider the category
of coherent sheaves in a subsequent paper.
[5] considered NC deformations of smooth projective varieties over the
ring k[t]/(t2 ) explicitly. Since it considered the category of twisted sheaves,
the whole space HH 2 (X) appears as T 1 . On the other hand, since only
the first order deformations are considered, the obstruction space does not
appear. Our argument is also down to earth and explicit.
The outline of the proof is as follows. We cover the variety X by affine
open subsets Ui = Spec(Ai ), deform the coordinate rings Ai by changing
the multiplications, and glue them. The gluing is done only by homomor-
phisms between NC deformed coordinate rings Ai → Aj which are related
by inclusions Uj ⊂ Ui , because localization is not possible in general due to
the non-commutativity of the associative rings Ai . The associativity of the
multiplication and the compatibility with the gluing are translated to the
vanishing of certain Čech cocycles on Hochschild cocycles. They are first de-
fined only for configurations of open subsets which are related by inclusions.
Moreover we need to consider Hochschild cocycles with coefficients. For ex-
ample, we consider a Hochschild cocycle on Ai with coefficients in J ⊗ Aj
for Uj ⊂ Ui , and a Čech 2-cocycle is defined on the overlap Ui ∩ Uj ∩ Uk only
in the case where Uk ⊂ Uj ⊂ Ui . Then we extend the cocycles for general
triple Ui , Uj , Uk , which are unrelated by inclusions, using some formula.
The author would like to thank Alexey Bondal, Anya Nordskova, Shinno-
suke Okawa and Michel Van den Bergh for suggestions and encouragements.
He would also like to thank NCTS of National Taiwan University where the
2
work was partly done while the author visited there. This work is partly
supported by JSPS Kakenhi 21H00970.

2. NC deformations of smooth varieties

Let X be a smooth variety over a field k. We will assume that X is also
projective when the finite dimensionality of cohomology groups becomes
neccessary. We fix a covering by affine open subsets {Ui } of X and denote
Ui = Spec Ai for i ∈ I. We assume that, if i, j ∈ I, then Ui ∩ Uj = Uk for
some k ∈ I. We assume moreover that the Ui are small enough so that the
tangent sheaves TUi are free Ai -modules. We write i < j if Ui ⊃ Uj . There
is a natural injective k-algebra homomorphism φA ji : Ai → Aj for i < j. We
set φAii = IdAi for i = j. Since these algebras are birationally equivalent, we
∼
have Aj ⊗Ai Aj = Aj as Aj -modules.
Let (Art) be the category of Artin local k-algebras (R, M ) such that
R/M ∼ = k. We can write R = k[[t1 , . . . , tn ]]/I for some integer n, where I is
an ideal of a formal power series ring. R is finite dimensional as a k-module,
and the maximal ideal is given by M = (t1 , . . . , tn ).
Definition 2.1. An NC deformation of X over (R, M ) is defined to be a
triple (A, α, φA ) which satisfies the following conditions:
(1) A is a collection of associative R-algebras Ai for i ∈ I which are flat
over R.
(2) α is a collection of k-algebra isomorphisms αi : k ⊗R Ai → Ai .
(3) φA is a collection of R-algebra homomorphisms φA ji : Ai → Aj for
A
i < j. We set φii = IdAi for i = j.
(4) φA A A
kj ◦ φji = φki for i < j < k.
(5) αj ◦ (k ⊗ φA A
ji ) = φji ◦ αi .

The flatness of Ai over R implies that Ai ∼ = R ⊗k Ai when they are

considered as R-modules.
Let (R′ , M ′ ) ∈ (Art) be another Artin local k-algebra and let R → R′ be
a local k-algebra homomorphism. Then an NC deformation A = (A, α, φA )
′
of X over R induces an NC deformation A′ = (A′ , α′ , φA ) over R′ by A′i =
R′ ⊗R Ai for all i. Thus the NC deformations of X determines a functor
DefX : (Art) → (Set) given by DefX (R) = {(A, φA , α)}/ ∼, where ∼ denotes
an isomorphism.

In order to describe the deformation functor using T 1 and T 2 , we recall

Hochschild cohomologies (cf. [7]). Let A be an associative k-algebra and let
M be an A-bimodule. The Hochschild cohomology HH ∗ (A, M ) of A with
coefficients in M is the cohomology of the cochain complex
0 → M → Homk (A, M ) → . . .
→ Homk (A⊗p , M ) → Homk (A⊗(p+1) , M ) → . . .
3
where A⊗p = A ⊗k · · · ⊗k A (p-times) and the coboundary is given by
df (x0 , . . . , xp ) = x0 f (x1 , . . . , xp )
p−1
(−1)i f (x0 , . . . , xi−1 xi , . . . , xp ) + (−1)p f (x0 , . . . , xp−1 )xp .
X
+
i=1
If A is a commutative, X =VSpec A is smooth, and M is a flat A-module,
then we have HH p (A, M ) ∼
=
p
TX ⊗A M , because there is a quasi-isomorphism
d d 0
−−−−→ A ⊗ A⊗p −−−−→ A ⊗ A⊗(p−1) . . . −−−−→ A ⊗ A −−−−→ A −−−−→ 0
   
p p−1 1 0
   
I y I y I y I y
0 0 0
−−−−→ ΩpA −−−−→ Ωp−1
A ... −−−−→ Ω1A −−−−→ A −−−−→ 0
given by
I p (x0 ⊗ x1 ⊗ · · · ⊗ xp ) = x0 dx1 ∧ · · · ∧ dxp .
Here we used Homk (A⊗p , M ) ∼= HomA (A ⊗k A⊗p , M ).

We consider the extension problem of NC deformations. Let

(2.1) 0 → J → R′ → R → 0
be an extension in (Art), where J is an ideal such that M ′ J = 0. We ask
whether a given NC deformation A ∈ DefX (R) extends to a deformation
A′ ∈ DefX (R′ ) such that A = R ⊗R′ A′ , and when it is extendible, then how
is the set of extensions parametrized.
Theorem 2.2. Let (R, M ), (R′ , M ′ ) ∈ (Art) and J be as in (2.1), and let
A be an NC deformation of X over (R, M ). Then the following hold.
(1) There is a class ξ (3,0) ∈ J ⊗ H 0 (X, 3 TX ). If ξ (3,0) = 0, then there
V

is a class ξ (2,1) ∈ J ⊗ H 1 (X, 2 TX ). If ξ (2,1) = 0, then there is a class

V

ξ (1,2) ∈ J ⊗ H 2 (X, TX ). And ξ (3,0) = ξ (2,1) = ξ (1,2) = 0 hold if and only

if there exists an NC deformation A′ over (R′ , M ′ ) which induces A over
(R, M ).
(2) Assume that ξ (3,0) = ξ (2,1) = ξ (1,2) = 0. Then the set of isomorphism
classes of
V2all extensions A′ corresponds bijectively to a k-vector space J ⊗
0
(H (X, TX ) ⊕ H (X, 1 TX )).
1
V

(3) The obstruction classes ξ (3,0) , ξ (2,1) , ξ (1,2) are functorially determined
in the following sense. Let
0 −−−−→ J −−−−→ R′ −−−−→ R −−−−→ 0
  
(2.2) βJ y β′y βy
  

0 −−−−→ J1 −−−−→ R1′ −−−−→ R1 −−−−→ 0

be a commutative diagram of extensions as in (2.1). Let A ∈ DefX (R)
and let A1 = DefX (β)(A) ∈ DefX (R1 ). Let ξ (p,q) ∈ J ⊗ H q ( p TX ) and
V
(p,q)
∈ J1 ⊗ H q ( p TX ) be the obstruction classes of extending A and A1
V
ξ1
4
 (p,q)
over R′ and R1′ , respectively. Then ξ1 = βJ (ξ (p,q) ) hold as long as they
are defined.
Proof. (1) We have Ai ∼ = R ⊗k Ai as R-modules. Let us define A′i = R′ ⊗k Ai
as an R -module. We have R ⊗R′ A′i ∼
′
= Ai as R-modules. In order to
define A′ , we need to define multiplications on the A′i and their gluing
homomorphisms.
The Ai has an associative multiplication ·Ri . Let ·R′i be any Ri′ -bilinear
multiplication on A′i which induce ·Ri . We do not require that they are
associative nor compatible with multiplications ·R′j for other j. For x, y, z ∈
A′i , let
fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄) = (x ·R′i y) ·R′i z − x ·R′i (y ·R′i z) ∈ J ⊗ Ai ,
where fi depends only on the classes x̄, ȳ, z̄ ∈ Ai of x, y, z modulo M ′ ⊗R′ A′i ,
because M ′ J = 0. We also note that J ⊗R′ A′i ∼ = J ⊗k Ai . The multiplication
·R′i is associative if and only if fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄) = 0. We can alternatively define
f˜i : A⊗4
i → J ⊗ Ai by f˜i (x0 , x1 , x2 , x3 ) = x0 fi (x1 , x2 , x3 ) as the Hochschild
3-cochain.
Let φji = φAji : Ai → Aj be the gluing homomorphism of A for i < j. They
are compatible with multiplications and satisfy the compatibility condition
′
φkj ◦φji = φki for i < j < k. Let φ′ji = φA ′ ′
ji : Ai → Aj be any homomorphism
as R′ -modules which induces φA ji when the tensor product R⊗R′ is taken.
′
We set φii = IdA′i for i = j. We do not require that the φ′ji are compatible
A

with multiplications nor satisfy the compatibility condition. Let

gji (x̄, ȳ) = φ′ji (x ·R′i y) − φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y) ∈ J ⊗ Aj
for x, y ∈ A′i . gji depends only on the classes x̄, ȳ ∈ Ai as before. The φ′ji are
compatible with the multiplications ·R′i and ·R′j if and only if gji (x̄, ȳ) = 0.
Let
hkji (x̄) = φ′kj ◦ φ′ji (x) − φ′ki (x) ∈ J ⊗ Ak
for x ∈ A′i . hkji depends only on x̄ ∈ Ai , and the φ′ji satisfy the compatibility
condition if and only if hkji (x̄) = 0.

Now we calculate coboundaries of the Hochschild cochains fi , gji and hkji

on Ai with coefficients in J ⊗ Ai , J ⊗ Aj and J ⊗ Ak , respectively, with
respect to the Hochschild boundaries. We should be careful that different
rings Ai , Aj , Ak with i < j < k are involved, and these rings are related by
homomorphisms φ0 := φA .
Lemma 2.3. Let i < j < k, and let fi : A⊗3 ⊗2
i → J ⊗ Ai , gji : Ai → J ⊗ Aj
and hkji : Ai → J ⊗ Ak be the Hochschild cochains defined above. Then the
Hochschild coboundaries are given as follows, where φ0ji := φA ji , etc.
(1) dfi = 0.
(2) dgji = −fj (φ0ji )⊗3 + φ0ji fi .
(3) dhkji = −gkj (φ0ji )⊗2 + gki − φ0kj gji .
5
 (4) φ0lk hkji − hlji + hlki − hlkj φ0ji = 0 for i < j < k < l.

Proof. (1)

dfi (x̄, ȳ, z̄, w̄)

= x̄fi (ȳ, z̄, w̄) − fi (x̄ȳ, z̄, w̄) + fi (x̄, ȳz̄, w̄) − fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄ w̄) + fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄)w̄
=0

because
x((yz)w − y(zw)) − (((xy)z)w − (xy)(zw)) + (x(yz))w − x((yz)w)
− ((xy)(zw) − x(y(zw))) + ((xy)z − x(yz))w = 0

where multiplications are ·R′i .

(2)

dgji (x̄, ȳ, z̄)

= φ0ji (x̄)gji (ȳ, z̄) − gji (x̄ȳ, z̄) + gji (x̄, ȳz̄) − gji (x̄, ȳ)φ0ji (z̄)
= φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y ·R′i z) − φ′ji (x) ·R′j (φ′ji (y) ·R′j φ′ji (z))
− φ′ji ((x ·R′i y) ·R′i z) + φ′ji (x ·R′i y) ·R′j φ′ji (z)
+ φ′ji (x ·R′i (y ·R′i z)) − φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y ·R′i z)
− φ′ji (x ·R′i y) ·R′j φ′ji (z) + (φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y)) ·R′j φ′ji (z)
= −φ′ji (x) ·R′j (φ′ji (y) ·R′j φ′ji (z)) + (φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y)) ·R′j φ′ji (z)
+ φ′ji (x ·R′i (y ·R′i z)) − φ′ji ((x ·R′i y) ·R′i z)
= −fj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ), φ0ji (z̄)) + φ0ji (fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄))

where we used x ·R′i y = x̄ȳ, etc.

(3)

φ′kj φ′ji (x ·R′i y) = φ′kj (φ′ji (x) ·R′j φ′ji (y) + gji (x̄, ȳ))
= φ′kj φ′ji (x) ·R′k φ′kj φ′ji (y) + gkj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) + φ0kj gji (x̄, ȳ)
= (φ′ki (x) + hkji (x̄)) ·R′k (φ′ki (y) + hkji (ȳ))
+ gkj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) + φ0kj gji (x̄, ȳ)
= φ′ki (x ·R′i y) − gki (x̄, ȳ) + φ0ki (x̄)hkji (ȳ) + hkji (x̄)φ0ki (ȳ)
+ gkj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) + φ0kj gji (x̄, ȳ).

Hence
dhkji (x̄, ȳ) = φ0ki (x̄)hkji (ȳ) − hkji (x̄ȳ) + hkji (x̄)φ0ki (ȳ)
= −gkj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) + gki (x̄, ȳ) − φ0kj gji (x̄, ȳ).
6
 (4)
φ0lk hkji (x̄) − hlji (x̄) + hlki (x̄) − hlkj (φ0ji (x̄))
= φ′lk (φ′kj φ′ji (x) − φ′ki (x)) − (φ′lj φ′ji (x) − φ′li (x))
+ (φ′lk φ′ki (x) − φ′li (x)) − (φ′lk φ′kj φ′ji (x) − φ′lj φ′ji (x))
= 0.

A different choice of multiplication on A′i can be written as
(x, y) 7→ x ·R′i y + bi (x̄, ȳ)
for x, y ∈ A′i , where bi (x̄, ȳ) ∈ J ⊗R′ A′i = J ⊗k Ai depends only on x̄, ȳ ∈ Ai ,
since M ′ J = 0. At the same time, a different gluing of the A′i can be written
as
x 7→ φ′ji (x) + cji (x̄)
for x ∈ A′i , where cji (x̄) ∈ J ⊗R′ A′j = J ⊗k Aj .
Lemma 2.4. Assume that fi , gji , hkji are changed to fi′ , gji
′ , h′
kji under these
new multiplications and gluing. Then the following hold.
(1) fi′ = fi − dbi .
′ = g + φ0 b − b (φ0 )⊗2 − dc .
(2) gji ji ji i j ji ji
′ 0 0
(3) hkji = hkji + φkj cji − cki + ckj φji .
Proof. (1)
fi′ (x̄, ȳ, z̄)
= (x ·R′i y + bi (x̄, ȳ)) ·R′i z + bi (x̄ȳ, z̄)
− x ·R′i (y ·R′i z + bi (ȳ, z̄)) − bi (x̄, ȳ z̄)
= fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄) − x̄bi (ȳ, z̄) + bi (x̄ȳ, z̄) − bi (x̄, ȳ z̄) + bi (x̄, ȳ)z̄
= fi (x̄, ȳ, z̄) − dbi (x̄, ȳ, z̄).
(2)
′
gji (x̄, ȳ)
= φ′ji (x ·R′i y + bi (x̄, ȳ)) + cji (x̄ȳ)
− ((φ′ji (x) + cji (x̄)) ·R′j (φ′ji (y) + cji (ȳ)) + bj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ))
= gji (x̄, ȳ) + φ0ji bi (x̄, ȳ) − bj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ))
− φ0ji (x̄)cji (ȳ) + cji (x̄ȳ) − cji (x̄)φ0ji (ȳ)
= gji (x̄, ȳ) + φ0ji bi (x̄, ȳ) − bj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) − dcji (x̄, ȳ).
(3)
h′kji (x̄) = φ′kj (φ′ji (x) + cji (x̄)) + ckj (φ0ji (x̄)) − (φ′ki (x) + cki (x̄))
= hkji (x̄) + φ0kj (cji (x̄)) − cki (x̄) + ckj (φ0ji (x̄)).
7
 
By Lemma 2.3 (1) and Lemma 2.4 (1), the Hochschild cochain fi is closed
and is determined up to the Hochschild
V3 coboundary dbi . Thus the cohomol-
ogy class v(fi ) := [fi ] ∈ J ⊗ Γ( TUi ) is well-defined in the sense that it
is independent of the choice of the multiplication on A′i . Moreover, Lemma
2.3 (2) implies that the v(fi ) glue together to define a global cohomology
class ξ (3,0) = v(f ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ( 3 TX ). ξ (3,0) = 0 is equivalent to saying that
V
v(fi ) = 0 for all i, and in turn to that fi′ = 0 for suitable choices of the
bi . Thus we have ξ (3,0) = 0 if and only if there are choices of associative
multiplications on the A′i extending those on the Ai .

Now we assume that ξ (3,0) = 0 ∈ J ⊗Γ( 3 TX ). Thus we assume that fi′ =

V
0 for all i. We fix one set of the bi which determine associative multiplications
·R′i on the A′i . The existence of such bi is guaranteed by this assumption.
Then we may assume that fi = 0 for all i. It follows that dbi = 0 for all i,
and the Hochschild 2-cochain gji : A⊗2 i → J ⊗ Aj of Ai with coefficients in
J ⊗ Aj satisfies the Hochschild cocyle condition that dgji = 0 by Lemma 2.3
(2). We note that there are still choices of the bi as long as dbi = 0.
Thus gji for i < j and bi determine 2-vectors v(gji ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ( 2 TUj )
V

and v(bi ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ( 2 TUi ). From Lemma 2.3 (3), the Čech 1-cochain v(gji )
V
satisfies the cocycle condition that v(gki ) = v(gkj ) + v(gji )|Uk . Moreover by
Lemma 2.4 (2), the Čech cocycles v(gji ) and v(gji ′ ) are equivalent up to the

Čech coboundary of the Čech 0-cochain v(bi ).

Now we define the Čech cocycle v(gji ) for the general case of non-ordered
pairs i, j. We consider l = max{i, j} corresponding to Ui ∩ Uj = Ul , and
define
^2
v(gji ) = v(gli ) − v(glj ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ( TUl ).
We note that, if i < j, then l = j, and glj = 0, hence v(gji ) = v(gli ) as
expected.
We check the cocycle condition for unordered indexes i, j, k. Let l =
max{i, j}, m = max{j, k}, n = max{i, k} and t = max{i, j, k}. Then
(v(gji ) − v(gki ) + v(gkj ))|Ut
= (v(gli ) − v(glj ) − v(gni ) + v(gnk ) + v(gmj ) − v(gmk ))|Ut
= v(gti ) − v(gtj ) − v(gti ) + v(gtk ) + v(gtj ) − v(gtk ) = 0.
We also have
′
v(gji ) − v(gji ′
) = v(gli ) − v(glj ) − v(gli′ ) + v(glj )
= (v(bl ) − v(bi ) − v(bl ) + v(bj ))|Ul = (v(bj ) − v(bi ))|Ul .
Therefore the collection {v(gji )} defines a Čech cohomology class ξ (2,1) :=
v(g) ∈ J ⊗ Ȟ 1 ( 2 TX ). We have ξ (2,1) = 0 if and only if there are suitable
V
′ = 0. Thus ξ (2,1) = 0 holds if and
choices of the bi and the cji such that gji
8
only if there is a gluing of the Ai which is compatible with the multiplica-
tions.

Now we assume that ξ (2,1) = 0 ∈ J ⊗ Ȟ 1 ( 2 TX ). Then we may assume

V
that gji = 0 and dcji = 0 for all i < j. We note that we have still choices of
the cji as long as dcji = 0.
By Lemma 2.3 (3), the Hochschild 1-cochain hkji is closed: dhkji = 0. We
define v(hkji ) := [hkji ] ∈ J ⊗ Γ(TUk ). We note that the Hochschild cobound-
ary map is trivial for 0-cochains, because Ai is commutative. Therefore
v(hkji ) = 0 is equivalent to that hkji = 0.

We will extend the definition of v(hkji ) to unordered i, j, k. We will denote

by hkji for v(hkji ) in the following for the simplicity of the notation. We set
the notation for unordered indexes i, j, k, h as follows:

l = max{i, j}, m = max{j, k}, n = max{i, k},

p = max{k, h}, q = max{i, h}, o = max{k, h},
t = max{i, j, k}, s = max{i, j, h}, u = max{i, k, h}, v = max{j, k, h},
w = max{i, j, k, h}.

Then we define for unordered triple i, j, k:

hkji := htli − htlj + htmj − htmk + htnk − htni .

For example, if i < j < k, then l = j, m = n = t = k, hence hkji is equal to

the original one as expected, because hkjj = hkkj = hkkk = hkki = 0.
In general, the higher degree Čech cochains for unordered indexes i1 , . . . , in
can be defined using those for ordered indexes by
X
hin ,...,i1 = sgn(σ)hjσ,n ,...,jσ,1
σ∈Sn

where

jσ,k = max{iσ(1) , . . . , iσ(k) }.

But we do not need this.

If the indexes satisfy i < j < k < h, then we know that there is a relation

Vhkji := (hkji − hhji + hhki − hhkj )|Uh = 0.

Lemma 2.5. The relation (hkji − hhji + hhki − hhkj )|Uw = 0 also holds for
unordered indexes i, j, k, h,
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Proof. We calculate, where we omit |Uw ,
0 = Vwtli − Vwtlj + Vwtmj − Vwtmk + Vwtnk − Vwtni
− (Vwsli − Vwslj + Vwspj − Vwsph + Vwsqh − Vwsqi )
+ Vwuni − Vwunk + Vwuok − Vwuoh + Vwuqh − Vwuqi
− (Vwvmj − Vwvmk + Vwvok − Vwvoh + Vwvph − Vwvpj )
= htli − hwli + hwti − hwtl − (htlj − hwlj + hwtj − hwtl )
+ htmj − hwmj + hwtj − hwtm − (htmk − hwmk + hwtk − hwtm )
+ htnk − hwnk + hwtk − hwtn − (htni − hwni + hwti − hwtn )
− (hsli − hwli + hwsi − hwsl ) + hslj − hwlj + hwsj − hwsl
− (hspj − hwpj + hwsj − hwsp ) + hsph − hwph + hwsh − hwsp
− (hsqh − hwqh + hwsh − hwsq ) + hsqi − hwqi + hwsi − hwsq
+ huni − hwni + hwui − hwun − (hunk − hwnk + hwuk − hwun )
+ huok − hwok + hwuk − hwuo − (huoh − hwoh + hwuh − hwuo )
+ huqh − hwqh + hwuh − hwuq − (huqi − hwqi + hwui − hwuq )
− (hvmj − hwmj + hwvj − hwvm ) + hvmk − hwmk + hwvk − hwvm
− (hvok − hwok + hwvk − hwvo ) + hvoh − hwoh + hwvh − hwvo
− (hvph − hwph + hwvh − hwvp ) + hvpj − hwpj + hwvj − hwvp
= htli − htlj + htmj − htmk + htnk − htni
− (hsli − hslj + hspj − hsph + hsqh − hsqi )
+ huni − hunk + huok − huoh + huqh − huqi
− (hvmj − hvmk + hvok − hvoh + hvph − hvpj )
= hkji − hhji + hhki − hhkj .


Therefore there is a well-defined Čech cocycle ξ (1,2) := [v(h)] = {v(hkji )} ∈

J ⊗ Ȟ 2 (TX ).

Lemma 2.6. ξ (1,2) = 0 if and only if there is a suitable choice of the cji
such that h′kji = 0 for i < j < k.

Thus ξ (1,2) = 0 holds if and only if there is a gluing of the Ai which

satisfies the Čech cocycle condition.

Proof. Assume that ξ (1,2) = 0. Then there is a Čech cochain v(cji ) ∈

J ⊗ Γ(TUi ∩Uj ) such that v(hkji ) = (v(cji ) − v(cki ) + v(cji ))|Ui ∩Uj ∩Uk . In
particular, there are such v(cji ) for i < j. By Lemma 2.4 (3), there exists
gluing of the A′i such that h′kji = 0.
Conversely, assume that there are cji for i < j such that h′kji = 0. We
define cji = cki − ckj for unordered i, j, where we set k = max{i, j}. Then,
10
omitting v and |Ut , we have
hkji = htli − htlj + htmj − htmk + htnk − htni
= cli − cti + ctl − (clj − ctj + ctl ) + cmj − ctj + ctm − (cmk − ctk + ctm )
+ cnk − ctk + ctn − (cni − cti + ctn )
= cli − clj + cmj − cmk + cnk − cni = cji − cki + ckj .
Hence ξ (1,2) = 0. 
The combination of the above argument yields the proof of (1).

(2) We assume that ξ (3,0) = ξ (2,1) = ξ (1,2) = 0. The argument in the proof
of (1) showed that the set of choices of the multiplications and gluing for
which fi = gij = hijk = 0 hold corresponds bijectively to the set of the bi
and cji which satisfy the following conditions
dbi = 0, dcji = 0,
φ0ji bi (x̄, ȳ) − bj (φ0ji (x̄), φ0ji (ȳ)) = 0,
φ0kj (cji (x̄)) − cki (x̄) + ckj (φ0ji (x̄)) = 0
where we have i < j < k. Since dbi = dcji = 0, the bi and the cji determine
classes v(bi ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ( 2 TUi ) and v(cji ) ∈ J ⊗ Γ(TUj ). They satisfy the
V

cocycle condition, and we obtain v(b) ∈ J ⊗ H 0 ( 2 TX ) and v(c) ∈ J ⊗

V
Ȟ 1 (TX ), where we define v(cji ) = v(cki ) − v(ckj ) with k = max{i, j} for
unordered i, j.
We still need to take into account of the fact that some of the deformations
A′ of A thus obtained are isomorphic, and we need to take the quotient set
of the set of the bi , cji . Let b̃i and c̃ji be other choices for multiplications
and gluing. We will prove that v(b) = v(b̃) ∈ J ⊗ H 0 ( 2 TX ) and v(c) =
V
v(c̃) ∈ J ⊗ Ȟ 1 (TX ) hold if and only if the resulting NC deformations A′ and
Ã′ are isomorphic.
An isomorphism A′ → Ã′ is given by isomorphisms A′i → Ã′i of R′ -
modules which induce identity over R and are compatible with multiplica-
tions and gluing. We can write them as
x 7→ x + ei (x̄)
for x ∈ A′i , where ei (x̄) ∈ J ⊗ Ai .
They are compatible with the multiplications if and only if
x ·R′i y + bi (x̄, ȳ) + ei (x̄ȳ) = (x + ei (x̄)) ·R′i (y + ei (ȳ)) + b̃i (x̄, ȳ),
that is
(2.3) b̃i (x̄, ȳ) − bi (x̄, ȳ) = −x̄ei (ȳ) + ei (x̄ȳ) − ei (x̄)ȳ = −dei (x̄, ȳ).
They are compatible with the gluing if and only if
φ′ji (x) + cji (x̄) + φ0ji (ei (x̄)) = φ′ji (x) + c̃ji (x̄) + ej (x̄),
11
that is
(2.4) c̃ji (x̄) − cji (x̄) = −ej (x̄) + φ0ji (ei (x̄)).

There exist such ei ’s which sends (bi , cji ) to (b̃i , c̃ji ) through (2.3) and
((2.4) if and only if v(b) = v(b̃) ∈ J ⊗ H 0 ( 2 TX ) and v(c) = v(c̃) ∈
V
J ⊗ Ȟ 1 (TX ). Thus the part (2) is proved.

(3) Let ·R′i and φ′ij be a choice of multiplications and gluing over R′ ,
and let ξ (p,q) ∈ J ⊗ H q (X, p TX ) be the corresponding obstruction classes
V
determined by the cochains fi , gji , hkji . Then the map β ′ induces a choice
of multiplications and gluing ·R′1,i and φ′1,ij over R1′ . The corresponding
(p,q)
cochains satisfy (f1,i , g1,ji , h1,kji ) = β ′ (fi , gji , hkji ). Hence ξ1 = βJ (ξ (p,q) ).


Now we prove the existence of a semi-universal NC deformation of X

using the Schlessinger conditions ([2]):
Theorem 2.7. Let X be a smooth algebraic variety, and assume that
2
0
TX ) + dim H 1 (X, TX ),
^
n = dim H (X,
3 2
m = dim H 0 (X, TX ) + dim H 1 (X, TX ) + dim H 2 (X, TX )
^ ^

are finite. Then there exists a semi-universal deformation for the NC defor-
mation functor DefX over
R := k[[t1 , . . . , tn ]]/(f1 , . . . , fm )
for some formal power series fi of degrees in [2, ∞].

Proof. We need to check the conditions (H̃) and (He ) of [3] Chapter 2 (cf.
[4] Theorem 4.1). (H̃) says that a natural map
DefX (R1 ×R0 R2 ) → DefX (R1 ) ×DefX (R0 ) DefX (R2 )
is surjective for morphisms Ri → R0 in (Art), while (He ) says that it is
bijective when R0 = k and R1 = k[ǫ]/(ǫ2 ). (H̃) is proved in the following
lemma. This map can be non-injective because an automorphism of a defor-
mation over R0 can be non-extendable to a deformation over R1 . If R0 = k,
then there is no automorphism by definition, hence (He ) holds. 
Lemma 2.8. Let P = k[[t1 , . . . , tn ]], Ri = P/Ii ∈ (Art) for i = 1, 2, and
let R0 = P/(I1 + I2 ) and R′ = P/(I1 ∩ I2 ). Assume that there are NC
deformations A(i) of X over Ri such that R0 ⊗R1 A(1) ∼ = R0 ⊗R2 A(2) :=
A(0) . Then there exists an NC deformation A′ of X over R′ such that
Ri ⊗R′ A′ ∼
= A(i) .
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Proof. We claim that P/I1 ×P/(I1 +I2 ) P/I2 ∼ = P/(I1 ∩ I2 ). Indeed there is
a natural map from the right hand side to the left hand side which sends
a mod I1 ∩ I2 to (a mod I1 , a mod I2 ). It is injective, because a ∈ I1 and
a ∈ I2 implies that a ∈ I1 ∩ I2 .
We prove that it is surjective. Suppose that ai + Ii for ai ∈ P give the
same class a1 + I1 + I2 = a2 + I1 + I2 . Then there are elements bi , b′i ∈ Ii such
that a1 + b1 + b2 = a2 + b′1 + b′2 . Thus a1 + b1 − b′1 = a2 + b′2 − b2 = a ∈ P .
Then a mod I1 ∩ I2 is mapped to (a1 mod I1 , a2 mod I2 ).
Similarly, we obtain

(P/I1 ⊗ Ai ) ×P/(I1 +I2 )⊗Ai (P/I2 ⊗ Ai ) ∼

= P/(I1 ∩ I2 ) ⊗ Ai

as P -modules. Then A′ = A(1) ×A(0) A(2) with ring structures and gluing.
is the desired NC deformation. 

The following proposition will be useful when we consider coherent sheaves

on NC deformations (cf. [1]).

Proposition 2.9. Let A be an NC deformation of A = OX over R ∈ (Art).

Then the following hold.
(1) Aj is right and left flat over Ai for i < j.
(2) The natural Aj -module homomorphism Aj → Aj ⊗Ai Aj is bijective.

Proof. (1) We will prove the right flatness. The left flatness is similarly
proved. We need to prove that TorA ∼
m (Aj , M ) = 0 for any left Ai -module M
i

and m > 0. Since dim R < ∞, we may assume that M is an Ai -module.

(I )
Let P• → Aj with Pm = Ai m for m ≥ 0 be a resolution by free Ai -
modules. Since Aj and Ai are flat over R, the exactness is preserved under
(I )
the base change k⊗R ; P• → Aj with Pm = Ai m is also a resolution by free
Ai -modules. Since Aj is flat over Ai , we have TorA ∼
m (Aj , M ) = 0 for m > 0.
i

Hence P• ⊗Ai M → Aj ⊗Ai M is a resolution. We have

Aj ⊗Ai M ∼
= Aj ⊗Ai M

Hence P• ⊗Ai M → Aj ⊗Ai M is also a resolution. Terefore TorA ∼

m (Aj , M ) = 0
i

for m > 0.

(2) We proceed by induction on the dimension of the base ring dim R.

We assume that a deformation A over R satisfies the conclusions of the
proposition and prove that an extension A′ of A over a small extension R′
of R also satisfies them.
The first step is that, since the natural homomorphism Ai → Aj is bira-
tional, Aj = Ai ⊗Ai Aj → Aj ⊗Ai Aj is bijective.
Our homomorphism is derived from Ai → Aj by Aj = Ai ⊗Ai Aj . We
have also A′j ⊗A′i Aj ∼= Aj ⊗Ai Aj and A′j ⊗A′i Aj ∼
= Aj ⊗Ai Aj . Therefore
13
we have a commutative diagram of exact sequences
0 −−−−→ J ⊗ Aj −−−−→ A′j −−−−→ Aj −−−−→ 0
  
  
y y y
0 −−−−→ J ⊗ Aj ⊗Ai Aj −−−−→ A′j ⊗A′i A′j −−−−→ Aj ⊗Ai Aj −−−−→ 0.
Since the vertical arrows on both sides are bijective, so is the middle. 

References
[1] Dinh Van, Hoang; Liu, Liyu; Lowen, Wendy. Non-commutative deformations and
quasi-coherent modules. Selecta Math. 23 (2016), 1061–1119.
[2] Schlessinger, Michael. Functors of Artin rings. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 130, No. 2
(Feb., 1968), pp. 208–222.
[3] Sernesi, Edoardo. Deformations of Algebraic Schemes. Grundlehren math. Wis-
senshaften 334 (2006), Springer.
[4] Kawamata, Yujiro. Deformations over non-commutative base. to appear in C. R. Math.
[5] Toda, Yukinobu. Deformations and Fourier-Mukai transforms. J. Differential Geom.
81(1): 197–224 (January 2009). DOI: 10.4310/jdg/1228400631.
[6] Lowen, Wendy; Van den Bergh, Michel. Deformation theory of abelian categories.
Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 358 (2006), 5441–5483.
[7] Weibel, Charles. An Introduction to Homological Algebra. Cambridge St. Adv. Math.
38 (1994), Cambridge U. P.
Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba,
Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8914, Japan.
kawamata@ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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