Monoids with sub-log-exponential free spectra. (Q2475114)

Given a finite monoid \(M\), let \(f_n^M\) be the cardinality of the free \(n\)-generated monoid in the variety generated by \(M\). The monoid is called log-exponential if there exists a positive real number \(c\) such that \(\log f_n^M\geq 2^{cn}\) for all \(n\) large enough; otherwise \(M\) is said to be sub-log-exponential. The author shows that every sub-log-exponential monoid belongs to the pseudovariety \(\mathbf{EDA}\) of all finite semigroups in whose idempotent-generated members every regular element is idempotent (Theorem~2.1). He conjectures that conversely every monoid in \(\mathbf{EDA}\) all of whose subgroups are nilpotent is sub-log-exponential. As a supporting evidence, the author verifies that the 6-element Brandt monoid \(B_2^1\) is sub-log-exponential. Moreover, he proves that there are positive real numbers \(c_1\) and \(c_2\) such that \(c_1n^2\leq\log f_n^{B_2^1}\leq c_2n^3\) for all \(n\) large enough (Theorem~3.1), but the precise asymptotic class \(O(\log f_n^{B_2^1})\) still remains unknown. The proof relies on an interesting characterization of the identities of \(B_2^1\) in terms of alternation word digraphs found by \textit{S.~Kitaev} and the author (unpublished). As an application, the author shows that, for \(S\) being a finite regular Rees matrix semigroup, the monoid \(S^1\) is sub-log-exponential if and only if \(S^1\) lies in \(\mathbf{EDA}\) and all of its subgroups are nilpotent (Theorem~3.2); he also determines the precise asymptotic class \(O(\log f_n^{S^1})\) unless \(O(\log f_n^{S^1})=O(\log f_n^{B_2^1})\).