On the representation types of category algebras of finite EI categories (Q2253034)

A finite EI-category is a category with finitely many morphisms (and objects), such that every endomorphism is an isomorphism. Given an EI-category \(\mathcal{C}\), one can consider the category algebra \(k\mathcal{C}\) over a field \(k\), which is analogous to the path algebra of a quiver. The main topic of this paper is the representation type of such algebras (i.e., whether there are finitely many or infinitely many indecomposable representations), in the case that \(\mathcal{C}\) has 2 or 3 objects. In the case of 2 objects, the author gives necessary conditions for \(k\mathcal{C}\) to be finite representation type in terms of data associated to the automorphism groups of the objects of \(\mathcal{C}\). The author uses this to determine the representation type of the category algebras of most EI categories with 2 objects (in particular, the characteristic of \(k\) cannot be 2 or 3 for the strongest results). Finally, the author determines the representation type of \(k\mathcal{C}\) in some special cases where \(\mathcal{C}\) has 3 objects.