B-V quantization and field-anti-field duality for p-form gauge fields, topological field theories and 2D gravity Original Research Article

We construct a framework which unifies in pairs the fields and anti-fields of the Batalin and Vilkovisky quantization method. We consider gauge theories of p-forms coupled to Yang-Mills fields. Our algorithm generates many topological models of the Chern-Simons type or of the Donaldson-Witten type. Some of these models can undergo a partial breaking of their topological symmetries. We investigate the properties of 2D gravity in the Batalin and Vilkovisky quantization scheme. We find a structure which satisfies the holomorphic factorization and also properties analogous to those existing in the topological theories of forms. New conformal fields are introduced with their invariant action.