A random matrix approach to the lack of projections in \(C_{\mathrm {red}}^{\ast}(\mathbb F_2)\) (Q2496711)

The reduced group C\(^*\)-algebra \(C_r^*(\mathbb{F}_n)\) of the free group on \(k\) generators was shown in 1982 to lack nontrivial projections by \textit{M. Pimsner} and \textit{D. Voiculescu} [J. Oper. Theory 8, 131--156 (1982; Zbl 0533.46045)], and other proofs appeared later in papers by \textit{E. C. Lance} [Acta Math. 151, 209--230 (1983; Zbl 0542.46031)] and \textit{J. Cuntz} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 344, 180--195 (1983; Zbl 0511.46066)], in \textit{J. Connes}' book ``Noncommutative geometry'' (1994; Zbl 0818.46076), and a simplified version of Connes' argument [\textit{J. M. Cohen} and \textit{A. Figà-Talamanca}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 103, No. 3, 779--782 (1988; Zbl 0668.46028)]. In the paper under review, the authors provide a new proof of such fact by extending the free-probability techniques used by two of them to show that the Ext of \(C_r^*(\mathbb{F}_n)\) is not a group [\textit{U. Haagerup} and \textit{S. Thorbjørnsen}, Ann. Math. (2) 162, No. 2, 711--775 (2005; Zbl 1103.46032)]. The proof is nicely outlined in the introduction. Given a probability space \((\Omega,{\mathcal F}, P)\), \(m\in\mathbb{N} \cup\{\infty\}\), \((X_k^{(n)})_{k=1}^m\) independent \(n\times n\) self-adjoint random matrices, \((x_i)_{i=1}^m\) a semi-circular family in a \(C^*\)-probability space \((\mathcal{B},\tau)\), and \(p\) a noncommutative complex polynomial in \(m\) variables, the equality \[ \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,\| p((X_k^{(n)}(\omega))_{k=1}^m)\| =\| p((x_i)_{i=1}^m)\| , \quad P\text{-a.e. in }\omega \] is shown to hold, not only for the Gaussian unitary ensemble (GUE), but also for the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble (GOE) and the Gaussian symplectic ensemble (GSE). The techniques used and introduced in the paper also allow the authors to extend some results from \textit{Z. D. Bai} and \textit{J. W. Silverstein} [Ann. Probab. 26, No. 1, 316--345 (1998; Zbl 0937.60017), Ann. Probab. 27, No. 3, 1536--1555 (1999; Zbl 0964.60041)], namely the properties ``no eigenvalues outside (a small neighbourhood of) the support of the limiting distribution'' and ``exact separation by gaps in the limiting distribution'', to the GUE, GOE, and GSE ensembles.