Minimum number of non-zero-entries in a \(7 \times 7\) stable matrix (Q2419028)

It is known that if a sign pattern matrix of order $n < 7$ is potentially stable, then it has at most 10 nonzero entries. The purpose of the present paper is to extend these results to such matrix of order 7 by showing it has at least 11 nonzero entries. The paper also determines the minimum number of edges in a strongly connected digraph depending on its circumference. To this end, the authors first construct a list of all digraphs with 7 vertices and 10 edges allowing for correct minors, and then generate the associated set of nonequivalent matrix sign patterns having correct minors. Finally, they use a variant of the Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion to show that none of these candidate sign patterns have a stable realization, thereby concluding that the minimum number of nonzero entries must be equal to 11.