On rigidity of Nichols algebras (Q494111)

A braided vector space \((V,c)\) is a vector space \(V\) with a vector space isomorphism \(c:V\otimes V\to V\otimes V\) that satisfies the braid relation. The Nichols algebra \(\mathcal{B}(V,c)\) of \((V,c)\) is the (up to isomorphism) unique graded braided bialgebra \(\mathcal{B}=\bigoplus_{n\geq 0}\mathcal{B}_n\) such that \(\mathcal{B}_0\) coincides with the ground field of \(V\), \(\mathcal{B}_1=V\), \(c\) is the restriction of the braiding of \(\mathcal{B}\) to \(V\), \(\mathcal{B}\) is generated by \(V\) as an algebra, and the space of primitive elements of \(\mathcal{B}\) is \(V\). An important and difficult problem is to characterize for which finite-dimensional braided vector spaces the associated Nichols algebra is also finite-dimensional. The finite-dimensionality of the Nichols algebra puts severe restrictions on the braiding. For example, in the case of Lie superalgebras obtained via the signed flip \(c\) on a \(\mathbb{Z}_2\)-graded vector space \(V\), the Nichols algebra \(\mathcal{B}(V,c)\) is finite-dimensional if, and only if, the even part of \(V\) is zero. In this case, \(\mathcal{B}(V,c)\) is the exterior algebra of \(V\) which is rigid, that is, it does not admit any non-trivial graded deformations as a braided bialgebra. The authors believe that quite often finite-dimensional Nichols algebras are rigid. Note that Radford biproducts (or bosonizations) of finite-dimensional Nichols algebras are not always rigid. This can be seen, for example, from the Andruskiewitsch-Schneider classification of finite-dimensional pointed Hopf algebras with commuting group-like elements, since these Hopf algebras can be obtained as graded bialgebra deformations of such Radford biproducts. Using the classification of finite-dimensional cotriangular Hopf algebras due to Etingof and Gelaki, it is shown that for a wide class of symmetric braidings finite-dimensional Nichols algebras are rigid. Using similar cohomological methods as in a paper by the third author and \textit{S. Witherspoon} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 213, No. 7, 1399--1417 (2009; Zbl 1169.16024)], the authors provide a sufficient condition for the rigidity of finite-dimensional Nichols algebras. It follows from this criterion and the description of the finite-dimensional Nichols algebras in the Yetter-Drinfeld category over a commutative group algebra in terms of generators and relations obtained previously by the first author [J. Reine Angew. Math. 683, 189--251 (2013; Zbl 1331.16023)] that these algebras are rigid. As a consequence, Nichols algebras of diagonal type with a finite root system are rigid as well. In the final section more applications to some infinite-dimensional Nichols algebras and other braided bialgebras closely related to Nichols algebras are given.