The Leavitt path algebra of a graph. (Q2575715)

The authors initiate investigations of a class of algebras that provide far-reaching generalizations of those introduced by \textit{W. G. Leavitt} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 103, 113-130 (1962; Zbl 0112.02701)] and which give algebraic analogs of the graph \(C^*\)-algebras that have received much attention in operator algebra [e.g., see \textit{I. Raeburn}, Graph algebras. CBMS Reg. Conf. Ser. Math. 103. Providence, RI: AMS (2005; Zbl 1079.46002)]. The basic datum is a countable directed graph \(E\) whose incidence matrix is row-finite, that is, each vertex emits at most finitely many arrows. Given a base field \(K\), the Leavitt path algebra \(L_K(E)\) is a quotient of the ordinary path algebra over \(K\) of the double of \(E\) (obtained by adjoining an arrow \(\alpha^*\colon w\to v\) for each arrow \(\alpha\colon v\to w\) in \(E\)), modulo so-called Cuntz-Krieger relations taken from the type of \(C^*\)-algebras introduced by Cuntz and Krieger [\textit{J. Cuntz}, Invent. Math. 63, 25-40 (1981; Zbl 0461.46047)]. Specific (finite) choices for \(E\) yield the matrix algebras \(M_n(K)\), the Leavitt algebras of type \((1,n)\) (for which there is a universal isomorphism between the free modules of ranks \(1\) and \(n\)), and the algebraic Cuntz-Krieger algebras \(\mathcal{CK}_A(K)\) introduced by \textit{P. Ara, M. A. González-Barroso, E. Pardo} and the reviewer [J. Algebra 278, No. 1, 104-126 (2004; Zbl 1063.16033)]. The graph \(C^*\)-algebra \(C^*(E)\) may be obtained as the completion of \(L_\mathbb{C}(E)\) with respect to a suitable norm. The main result of the paper characterizes when \(L_K(E)\) is simple, in terms of graph-theoretic conditions on \(E\) (independent of \(K\)). Interestingly, these are the same conditions that characterize simplicity of \(C^*(E)\) [\textit{T. Bates, D. Pask, I. Raeburn} and \textit{W. Szymański}, New York J. Math. 6, 307-324 (2000; Zbl 0976.46041)], but the proofs of the algebraic and \(C^*\) results require quite different techniques. In particular, the main theorem recovers simplicity of the Leavitt algebras of type \((1,n)\), and provides simplicity criteria for the algebras \(\mathcal{CK}_A(K)\). Just as has been done for \(C^*(E)\), the authors later extend the construction of Leavitt path algebras to non-row-finite graphs [The Leavitt path algebras of arbitrary graphs, Houston J. Math. (to appear)]. Following the present work, a number of papers on the topic have appeared, of which we mention the following: [\textit{G. Abrams} and \textit{G. Aranda Pino}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 207, No. 3, 553-563 (2006; Zbl 1137.16028)]; [\textit{G. Aranda Pino, E. Pardo} and \textit{M. Siles Molina}, J. Algebra 305, No. 2, 912-936 (2006; Zbl 1108.46038)]; [\textit{G. Abrams, G. Aranda Pino} and \textit{M. Siles Molina}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 209, No. 3, 753-762 (2007; Zbl 1128.16008)]; [\textit{P. Ara, M. A. Moreno} and \textit{E. Pardo}, Algebr. Represent. Theory 10, No. 2, 157-178 (2007; Zbl 1123.16006)]; [\textit{P. Ara} and \textit{E. Pardo}, Stable rank of Leavitt path algebras, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. (to appear)], [\textit{M. Tomforde}, Uniqueness theorems and ideal structure for Leavitt path algebras, J. Algebra (to appear)].