Loop quantization of spherically symmetric midi-superspaces

We quantize the exterior of spherically symmetric vacuum spacetimes using a midi-superspace reduction within the Ashtekar new variables. Through a partial gauge fixing we eliminate the diffeomorphism constraint and are left with a Hamiltonian constraint that is first class. We complete the quantization in the loop representation. We also use the model to discuss the issues that will arise in more general contexts in the \u27uniform discretization\u27 approach to the dynamics. © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd