This paper is to establish a theory of regular representations for vertex operator algebras. In the paper, for a vertex operator algebra V and a V-module W, we construct, out of the dual space W*, a family of canonical weak V ⊗ V-modules [Formula: see text] with a nonzero complex number z as the parameter. We prove that for V-modules W, W1 and W2, a P(z)-intertwining map of type [Formula: see text] in the sense of Huang and Lepowsky exactly amounts to a V ⊗ V-homomorphism from W1 ⊗ W2 into [Formula: see text]. Combining this with Huang and Lepowsky's one-to-one linear correspondence between the space of intertwining operators and the space of P(z)-intertwining maps of the same type we obtain a canonical linear isomorphism fromthe space [Formula: see text] of intertwining operators of the indicated type to [Formula: see text]. Denote by RP(z)(W) the sum of all (ordinary) V ⊗ V-submodules of [Formula: see text]. Assuming that V satisfies certain suitable conditions, we obtain a canonical decomposition of RP(z)(W) into irreducible V ⊗ V-modules. In particular, we obtain a decomposition of Peter–Weyl type for RP(z)(V). Denote by ℱP(z) the functor from the category of V-modules to the category of weak V ⊗ V-modules such that ℱP(z)(W)=RP(z)(W'). We prove that for V-modules W1, W2, a P(z)-tensor product of W1 and W2 in the sense of Huang and Lepowsky exactly amounts to a universal from W1 ⊗ W2 to the functor ℱP(z). This implies that the functor ℱP(z) is essentially a right adjoint of the Huang–Lepowsky's P(z)-tensor product functor. It is also proved that RP(z)(W) for [Formula: see text] are canonically isomorphic V ⊗ V-modules.
A generalization of intertwining operators for vertex operator algebras