Incidence algebras that are uniquely determined by their zero-nonzero matrix pattern. (Q999784): Difference between revisions

For \(F\) a field and \(P\) a locally finite partially ordered set, let \(\text{Inc}(P,F)\) denote the incidence algebra of \(P\) over \(F\). When \(|P|=n<\infty\), and we linearly order the elements \(x_1,x_2,\dots,x_n\) of \(P\) so that \(x_i\leq x_j\) implies \(i\leq j\), then associating \(f\in\text{Inc}(P,F)\) with the \(n\times n\) matrix whose \((i,j)\) component is \(f(i,j)\) gives an isomorphism of the incidence algebra with a subalgebra, \(A\), of \(M_n(F)\). Here \(A\) has the property that in any position \((k,l)\), either \(g(k,l)=0\), for every \(g\in A\), or \(\{g(k,l)\mid g\in A\}=F\). A subalgebra of \(M_n(F)\) with such a property is said to have a zero-nonzero pattern. This paper is concerned with which subalgebras having zero-nonzero patterns are isomorphic to \(\text{Inc}(P,F)\). When the pattern has a certain form an answer is determined.