Tensor products of Leavitt path algebras. (Q2839347)

This paper computes the Hochschild homology of Leavitt path algebras over a field \(K\). Then some applications are given: for instance the Leavitt path algebra \(L_2\) and the tensor product \(L_2\otimes L_2\) are distinguished by their Hochschild homologies. Hence these algebras are not isomorphic. A motivation of this result comes form the following:NEWLINENEWLINE A Kirchberg algebra is a purely infinite, simple, nuclear and separable \(C^*\)-algebra. The Kirchberg-Phillips theorem states that this class of simple \(C^*\)-algebras is completely classified by its topological \(K\)-theory. On the other hand M. Rordan's results (in 1994) prove that the isomorphism \(\mathcal O_2\otimes\mathcal O_2\cong\mathcal O_2\) plays an important role in the proof of the celebrated classification theorem of Kirchberg algebras (here \(\mathcal O_2\) is the graph \(C^*\)-algebra associated to the graph \(R_2\) consisting on a vertex and two edges).NEWLINENEWLINE Consider now the Leavitt path algebra \(L_2\) associated to the \(R_2\) graph. The analogous question whether the algebra \(L_2\) is isomorphic to \(L_2\otimes L_2\) has been an open question for some time.NEWLINENEWLINE The paper analyzes the class of tensor products of Leavitt path algebras of finite quivers in terms of their Hochschild homology and proves that for \(1\leq n<m\leq\infty\) the tensor products \(E:=\bigotimes_{i=1}^n L(E_i)\) and \(F:=\bigotimes_{j=1}^m L(F_j)\) of Leavitt path algebras of non-acyclic finite quivers \(E_i\) and \(F_j\) are distinguished by their Hochschild homologies. Since Hochschild homology is Morita invariant, this implies that \(E\) and \(F\) are not Morita equivalent. In particular \(L_2\) and \(L_2\otimes L_2\) are not Morita equivalent hence they are not isomorphic. The authors also prove that \(K\)-theory cannot distinguish these algebras since \(K_*(L_2)=K_*(L_2\otimes L_2)=0\).