A dual braid monoid for the free group. (Q852661)

There is constructed a quasi-Garside monoid structure for the free group. This monoid should be thought of as a dual braid monoid for the free group, generalizing the constructions by Birman-Ko-Lee and by the author of new Garside monoids for Artin groups of spherical type [see \textit{J. Birman, K. H. Ko} and \textit{S. J. Lee}, Adv. Math. 139, No. 2, 322-353 (1998; Zbl 0937.20016); \textit{D. Bessis}, Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 36, No. 5, 36, 647-683 (2003; Zbl 1064.20039)]. There are fixed \(n+1\) distinct points \(x_0,x_1,\dots,x_n\) in the set \(\mathbb{C}\) of all complex numbers. Let us set \(F_n\doteq\pi_1(\mathbb{C}\setminus\{x_1,\dots,x_n\},x_0)\). This group is isomorphic to the free group on \(n\) generators, but its geometric definition gives additional structure. A noncrossing loop is a continuous embedding \(\lambda\colon S^1\hookrightarrow\mathbb{C}\setminus\{x_1,\dots,x_n\}\) whose image contains \(x_0\). Denote by NC the set of noncrossing elements in \(F_n\). There is defined a relation \(\subseteq\) in NC by \((\forall f,g\in\text{NC})\;f\subseteq g\Leftrightarrow\exists\) noncrossing loops \(\lambda,\mu\), \(f=f_\lambda\), \(g=f_\mu\), \(\text{Int}(\lambda)\subseteq\text{Int}(\mu)\). There is proved that for any \(g\in\text{NC}\) the poset \((\text{NC}_g,\subseteq)\) is a lattice, where \(\text{NC}_g=\{f\in\text{NC}\mid f\subseteq g\}\). Let \(R\) be the set of all reflections in \(F_n\). Let \(F^+_n\) be the submonoid of \(F_n\) generated by \(R\) and which is endowed with the divisibility partial ordering (for all \(f,g\in F_n^+)\;f\preceq g\Leftrightarrow (\exists h\in F_n^+)\;fh=g\). For a maximal element \(g\) of NC the submonoid \(M_g\) of \(F_n^+\) generated by \(\{r\in R\mid r\preceq g\}\) is a quasi-Garside monoid with Garside element \(g\) and set of simples \(\text{NC}_g\).