Loop quantum vector-tensor gravity and its spherically symmetric model

The Hamiltoinian analysis of the vector-tensor theory of gravity is performed. The resulting geometrical dynamics is reformulated into the connection dynamics, with the real SU(2) connection serving as one of the configuration variables. This formulation allows us to extend the loop quantization scheme of general relativity to the vector-tensor theory, thereby rigorously constructing its quantum kinematical framework. The scalar constraint is promoted to a well-defined operator in the vertex Hilbert space, to represent quantum dynamics. Moreover, the spherically symmetric model of the vector-tensor theory is obtained by the symmetric reduction. Following the general deparametrization strategy for theories with diffeomorphism invariance, the spherically symmetric model can be fully deparametrized in terms of the degrees of freedom of the vector field. The corresponding reduced phase space quantization is carried out. The physical Hamiltonian generating relative evolution is promoted to a well-defined operator on the physical Hilbert space.