Groups acting on CAT(0) square complexes (Q2387792)

A \(CAT(0)\) square complex is a simply connected 2-complex such that the 2-cell is isometric to the unit square in the Euclidean plane and all simple loops in the vertex links contain at least four edges. The author shows that if a group \(G\) acting properly and cocompactly on a \(CAT(0)\) square complex \(X\) by cellular isometries, \(H\) is a subgroup of \(G\) and there is no fake plane in \(X\) and \(H\) contains a hyperbolic isometry, then \(H\) either is virtually free Abelian or contains a free group of rank two. In particular, let \(Y\) be a finite square complex with nonpositive curvature. If no vertex link of \(Y\) contains simple loops consisting of five edges, then any subgroup of \(\pi_1 (Y)\) either is virtually free Abelian or contains a free group of rank two. The author generalizes Ruane's theorem and discusses when a group generated by two hyperbolic isometries contains a free group of rank two.