The \(A_\infty\) deformation theory of a point and the derived categories of local Calabi-Yaus (Q958532)

The overarching theme of this multi-faceted paper is to put certain descriptions coming from the string theory literature [e.g., \textit{P. S. Aspinwall} and \textit{L. M. Fidkowski}, J. High Enery Phys. 10, 047 (2006)] of derived categories of local Calabi-Yau 3-folds on firm mathematical footing. Section 2 contains the main technical tools of the paper. The author develops an \(A_\infty\) deformation theory for collections of 1-dimensional modules (equivalently, sets of \(\mathbb{C}\)-points). Let \(A\) be an augmented (noncommutative) algebra over \(\mathbb{C}^r\) and let \(\mathcal{O}_i\) denote the 1-dimensional \(A\)-module corresponding to the \(i\)th component of \(\mathbb{C}^r\). Suppose that \(\text{Ext}^1_A(\mathcal{O}_i,\mathcal{O}_j)\) is finite dimensional for each \(i\) and \(j\). The vector space \(\text{Ext}^*_A(\oplus \mathcal{O}_i, \oplus \mathcal{O}_i)\) has an \(A_\infty\) structure, and the main theorem of this section states that one can recover the completion, \(\widehat{A}\), of \(A\) at the augmentation ideal from this \(\text{Ext}\) algebra with its \(A_\infty\) structure. Namely, \(\widehat{A}\) has generators dual to \(\text{Ext}^1\), relations dual to \(\text{Ext}^2\), and the expressions of the relations in terms of the generators are given by dualising the higher products \(m_n: (\text{Ext}^1)^{\otimes n} \to \text{Ext}^2\). This is a variation on the result of \textit{D.-M. Lu, J. H. Palmieri, Q.-S. Wu} and \textit{J. J. Zhang} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 213, No. 11, 2017--2037 (2009; Zbl 1231.16008)], although the method of proof seems quite different. Section 3 deals with superpotentials. When the subcategory of \(D^b(A)\) generated by the \(\mathcal{O}_i\) is Calabi-Yau of dimension 3, the author constructs a formal superpotential from which the presentation of \(\widehat{A}\) can be recovered by taking partial derivatives. The author then produces Donaldson-Thomas-type invariants for such algebras. Section 4 deals with the following situation. Let \(Z\) be a smooth variety of dimesion 2. Then the canonical bundle \(\omega\) is a local Calabi-Yau 3-fold. If \(Z\) is derived equivalent to a quiver algebra \(A\) with relations, then the author shows that (under certain hypotheses) \(\omega\) is derived equivalent to the algebra \(\widetilde{A}\) obtained by cyclically completing the quiver and relations. This cyclic completion is most succinctly described in terms of a superpotential.