Multivariable Askey-Wilson Polynomials and Quantum Complex Grassmannians

We present a one-parameter family of constant solutions of the reflection equation and define a family of quantum complex Grassmannians endowed with a transitive action of the quantum unitary group. By computing the radial part of a suitable Casimir operator, we identify the zonal spherical functions (i.e. infinitesimally bi-invariant matrix coefficients of finite-dimensional irreducible representations) as multivariable Askey-Wilson polynomials containing two continuous and two discrete parameters.