The co-universal \(C^*\)-algebra of a row-finite graph (Q634453)

Given a row-finite directed graph \(E\), its graph algebra \(C^*(E)\), defined as the universal \(C^*\)-algebra generated by a Cuntz-Krieger \(E\)-family, has been an object of interest for quite some time now. In this paper the author proves the existence of a \(C^*\)-algebra \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\) which enjoys a \textit{co-universal property}: namely, for any \(C^*\)-algebra \(B\) generated by a Toeplitz-Cuntz-Krieger \(E\)-family in which all the vertex projections are non-zero, there is a canonical homomorphism from \(B\) onto \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\). In general, \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\) is a quotient of \(C^*(E)\). The idea of a co-universal property as a defining property of a \(C^*\)-algebra was framed in the context of \textit{T. Katsura}'s work on the gauge-invariant uniqueness property for \(C^*\)-algebras associated with a \(C^*\)-correspondence, see [``Ideal structure of \(C^*\)-algebras associated with \(C^*\)-correspondences'', Pac. J. Math. 230, No. 1, 107--145 (2007; Zbl 1152.46048)]. The first main result of this paper is Theorem 3.1 and establishes existence of \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\). The key tool in the proof is \textit{J. H. Hong} and \textit{W. Szymański}'s description of the primitive ideal space of the \(C^*\)-algebra of a directed graph, [``The primitive ideal space of the \(C^*\)-algebras of infinite graphs'', J. Math. Soc. Japan 56, No. 1, 45--64 (2004; Zbl 1058.46035)]. Theorem 4.1 is a uniqueness theorem for \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\). Characterisations of faithful representations of \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\), simplicity criteria for \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\), a Cuntz-Krieger type uniqueness for \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\) are some of the applications of the defining co-universal property of \(C^*_{\text{min}}(E)\).