Self-adjunctions and matrices. (Q1408350)

This paper uses categories to examine the geometry of Temperley-Lieb algebras and matrix representations of the braid groups. The free monoidal category \(L\) generated by a self-dual object has the natural numbers as objects (identified with the tensor powers of the object) and has as morphisms the tangles of strings in the plane with no crossings. This was essentially stated by \textit{P. J. Freyd} and \textit{D. N. Yetter} on page 172 of [Adv. Math. 77, No. 2, 156--182 (1989; Zbl 0679.57003)]; it can be proved using techniques of \textit{A. Joyal} and the reviewer [Adv. Math. 88, No. 1, 55--112 (1991; Zbl 0738.18005)]. The present paper uses the technique of normal forms in monoids to obtain the result. The unit and counit for a self-dual object \(a\) in a monoidal category can be composed to yield an endomorphism of the tensor unit object \(i\). We can require that this endomorphism should give the same endomorphism of \(a\) on tensoring on either side by \(a\), or, more restrictively, we can require that the endomorphism of \(i\) should be the identity morphism. The free monoidal category containing a self-dual object, subject to the first requirement, is denoted \(K\), while insisting on the stronger requirement leads to \(J\). In \(K\) all loops (circles) in a tangle are considered equal, while in \(J\) all loops are discarded. Then, as usual, by finding self-dual objects in concrete categories (such as the category of vector spaces), the authors use freeness to obtain representations of the geometric endomorphism monoids.