Solving Baxter's TQ-equation via representation theory

Baxter's TQ-equation is solved for the six-vertex model using the representation theory of quantum groups at roots of unity. A novel simplified construction of the Q-operator is given depending on a new free parameter. Specializing this general construction to even roots of unity and lattices with an odd number of columns two linearly independent operator solutions of Baxter's TQ equation are obtained as special limits.