Spherically Symmetric Quantum Horizons

Isolated horizon conditions specialized to spherical symmetry can be imposed directly at the quantum level. This answers several questions concerning horizon degrees of freedom, which are seen to be related to orientation, and its fluctuations at the kinematical as well as dynamical level. In particular, in the absence of scalar or fermionic matter the horizon area is an approximate quantum observable. Including different kinds of matter fields allows to probe several aspects of the Hamiltonian constraint of quantum geometry that are important in inhomogeneous situations.