RTT relations, a modified braid equation and noncommutative planes
  With the known group relations for the elements $(a,b,c,d)$ of a quantum matrix $T$ as input a general solution of the $RTT$ relations is sought without imposing the Yang - Baxter constraint for $R$ or the braid equation for $\hat{R} = PR$. For three biparametric deformatios, $GL_{(p,q)}(2), GL_{(g,h)}(2)$ and $GL_{(q,h)}(1/1)$, the standard,the nonstandard and the hybrid one respectively, $R$ or $\hat{R}$ is found to depend, apart from the two parameters defining the deformation in question, on an extra free parameter $K$,such that only for two values of $K$, given explicitly for each case, one has the braid equation. Arbitray $K$ corresponds to a class (conserving the group relations independent of $K$) of the MQYBE or modified quantum YB equations studied by Gerstenhaber, Giaquinto and Schak. Various properties of the triparametric $\hat{R}(K;p,q)$, $\hat{R}(K;g,h)$ and $\hat{R}(K;q,h)$ are studied. In the larger space of the modified braid equation (MBE) even $\hat{R}(K;p,q)$ can satisfy $\hat{R}^2 = 1$ outside braid equation (BE) subspace. A generalized, $K$- dependent, Hecke condition is satisfied by each 3-parameter $\hat{R}$. The role of $K$ in noncommutative geometries of the $(K;p,q)$,$(K;g,h)$ and $(K;q,h)$ deformed planes is studied. K is found to introduce a "soft symmetry breaking", preserving most interesting properties and leading to new interesting ones. Further aspects to be explored are indicated. 
A. Chakrabarti (Ecole Polytechnique)