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Khovanov–Seidel type A algebra

Definition

Fix an integer m≥1. The doubled line quiver Γm is the finite quiver of Integral path ring of a finite quiver with vertices 0,1,…,m and, for every 0≤i≤m−1, exactly two arrows between the consecutive vertices i and i+1, one in each direction. Its directed paths of length l are therefore the tuples (i1∣i2∣⋯∣il+1),ij∈{0,1,…,m},∣ij+1−ij∣=1, and the product of the path ring ZΓm is the left-to-right concatenation of Integral path ring of a finite quiver.

The algebra. For m≥1, let Im⊴ZΓm be the two-sided ideal generated by the elements (i−1∣i∣i+1),(i+1∣i∣i−1),(i∣i+1∣i)−(i∣i−1∣i),(0∣1∣0), where the first three families are over all 0<i<m; when m=1 the middle family is empty and only (0∣1∣0) is imposed. The Khovanov–Seidel type A algebra is the quotient ring Am:=ZΓm/Im (The quotient ring R/I with (r+I)(s+I)=rs+I), whose elements are written as cosets of paths.

Internal degree. The internal degree of a path is the integer deg⁡(v0∣v1∣⋯∣vl):=#{ j:0≤j<l, vj+1=vj−1 }, the number of steps in which the path moves down; so a vertex and an ascending arrow (i∣i+1) have degree 0, while a descending arrow (i+1∣i) has degree 1. This number is additive under concatenation, deg⁡(pq)=deg⁡(p)+deg⁡(q).

Grading. Write (ZΓm)d for the free abelian group spanned by the paths of degree d, so that ZΓm=⨁d≥0(ZΓm)d and (ZΓm)a(ZΓm)b⊆(ZΓm)a+b for all a,b. The quotient Am is graded, Am=⨁d≥0(Am)d,(Am)d:=((ZΓm)d+Im)/Im, with (Am)a(Am)b⊆(Am)a+b and 1Am∈(Am)0, as proved below. Elements of (Am)d are called homogeneous of degree d, and homogeneous elements of the two lowest degrees are written ei:=(i),ui:=(i∣i+1),di:=(i+1∣i)(0≤i≤m−1), so that deg⁡ei=0=deg⁡ui and deg⁡di=1. In keeping with the tuple notation of the path ring, the left entry of (i+1∣i) is its source, so (i+1∣i) is the arrow from i+1 to i; likewise (i−1∣i∣i+1) is the two-step path i−1→i→i+1 and (i∣i−1∣i) is the return i→i−1→i.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: An integer m≥1, the doubled line quiver Γm with its path ring ZΓm, the two-sided ideal Im generated by the displayed elements, and the internal degree of paths.

[F1]

ZΓm is the free abelian group on the directed paths of Γm, with left-to-right concatenation product, unit ∑i=0m(i), and the endpoint formulas (u)p=p if s(p)=u and 0 otherwise, p(v)=p if t(p)=v and 0 otherwise (Integral path ring of a finite quiver).

[L2]

For a two-sided ideal I of a ring R the quotient R/I is a ring with multiplication (r+I)(s+I)=rs+I, defined on cosets of the additive quotient group (The quotient ring R/I with (r+I)(s+I)=rs+I).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

Additivity of the internal degree. Every path is a concatenation of its consecutive arrows, and a step moves down exactly when it contributes 1 to the count; splitting a path at a vertex therefore splits the set of steps, so deg⁡(pq)=deg⁡(p)+deg⁡(q) for composable paths, and deg⁡ is additive over concatenations of any finite number of arrows. In particular deg⁡ is a function on the path set, and each path has one degree.

algebra
2.1

The path ring is a graded ring for this degree. Put (ZΓm)d for the subgroup spanned by the paths of degree d. Distinct paths form a basis of ZΓm by [F1], so ZΓm=⨁d≥0(ZΓm)d; the product of paths of degrees a and b is 0 or a path of degree a+b by step 1.1, so (ZΓm)a(ZΓm)b⊆(ZΓm)a+b by bilinearity; and 1=∑i(i) lies in degree 0.

step 1.1F1
2.2

Each relation generator is homogeneous. The generator (i−1∣i∣i+1) is a path of degree 0, the generator (i+1∣i∣i−1) is a path of degree 2, the two sides of (i∣i+1∣i)−(i∣i−1∣i) are paths of degree 1, and (0∣1∣0) is a path of degree 1. Hence every generator lies in a single summand (ZΓm)d for its own d.

step 1.1
3.1

The ideal is homogeneous. The two-sided ideal generated by homogeneous elements of a graded ring is homogeneous: the set of finite sums ∑jrjsjtj with sj among the generators, rj,tj∈ZΓm, is a two-sided ideal, and decomposing rj and tj into homogeneous components expresses each such element as a sum of elements lying in single summands of the form (ZΓm)d′(ZΓm)d(ZΓm)d′′; hence Im=⨁d(Im∩(ZΓm)d).

step 2.1step 2.2
4.1

The quotient is a graded ring. By step 3.1 each (Am)d:=((ZΓm)d+Im)/Im is the image of (ZΓm)d in the quotient, the sum ∑d(Am)d is direct because the sum decomposition of ZΓm is direct modulo the homogeneous ideal, and Am=⨁d≥0(Am)d. Products satisfy (Am)a(Am)b⊆(Am)a+b by step 2.1 and surjectivity of the quotient map, and the image of 1ZΓm lies in (Am)0. By [L2] the quotient is a ring, so Am is a ring graded by internal degree with 1∈(Am)0.

step 2.1step 3.1L2
5.1

Conclusion and conventions. The operations of Am and its grading are those displayed, the generators of Im hold as equalities in Am, and the elements ei,ui,di are homogeneous of degrees 0,0,1. For m=1 the families of relations indexed by 0<i<m are empty, and A1 is the quotient of ZΓ1 by (0∣1∣0) alone.

step 4.1algebra∎

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