Quantum linear scalar fields with time dependent potentials: Overview and applications to cosmology

In this work, we present an overview of uniqueness results derived in recent years for the quantization of Gowdy cosmological models and for (test) Klein-Gordon fields minimally coupled to Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker, de Sitter, and Bianchi I spacetimes. These results are attained by imposing the criteria of symmetry invariance and of unitary implementability of the dynamics. This powerful combination of criteria allows not only to address the ambiguity in the representation of the canonical commutation relations, but also to single out a preferred set of fundamental variables. For the sake of clarity and completeness in the presentation (essentially as a background and complementary material), we first review the classical and quantum theories of a scalar field in globally hyperbolic spacetimes. Special emphasis is made on complex structures and the unitary implementability of symplectic transformations.