The graded structure of Leavitt path algebras. (Q375696)

The author studies Leavitt path algebras from the point of view of its graded structure. Recall that any Leavitt path algebra \(L_R(E)\) of a directed graph \(E\) over a commutative unital ring \(R\) admits a canonical grading such that vertices have degree \(0\), real edges \(e\in E^1\) have degree \(1\), and ghost edges \(e^*\in (E^1)^*\) have degree \(-1\). The first main goal of the paper is a characterization of the finite directed graphs \(E\) such that \(L_R(E)\) is strongly graded. This is achieved in Theorem 3.15, which states that \(L_R(E)\) is strongly \(\mathbb Z\)-graded if and only if any vertex is connected to a cycle. The author gives a classification, as graded algebras, of an extensive class of Leavitt path algebras over an arbitrary field \(K\) (Theorem 4.9). The class of graphs considered here is the class of polycephaly graphs, which combine the \(C_n\)-comets and the acyclic graphs which have been previously studied in the literature. He also considers in Theorem 4.12 the question of whether such Leavitt path algebras are group rings. In the last part of the paper, the author introduces the concept of weighted Leavitt path algebras, a class of algebras which admit a grading by a free abelian group. Using this new construction, the author is able to recover all the \textit{classical} Leavitt algebras \(L(n,m)\) as weighted Leavitt path algebras associated to a suitable weighted directed graph. We recall that \textit{only} the Leavitt algebras \(L(1,n)\) can be recovered from the usual construction of a Leavitt path algebra associated to a directed graph. The class of algebras obtained in this way seems to be very large, and merits further study.