Hopf algebroids and quantum groupoids

We introduce the notion of Hopf algebroids, in which neither the total algebras nor the base algebras are required to be commutative. We give a class of Hopf algebroids associated to module algebras of the Drinfeld doubles of Hopf algebras when the $R$-matrices act properly. When this construction is applied to quantum groups, we get examples of quantum groupoids, which are semi-classical limits of Poisson groupoids. The example of quantum $sl(2)$ is worked out in details.