Lambda-determinants and domino-tilings

DOI10.1016/J.AAM.2004.06.005MaRDI QIDQ2483917zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors James Propp

Publication date 1 August 2005

Published in Advances in Applied Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0406301

zbMATH Keywords

alternating-sign matrices

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Combinatorial aspects of tessellation and tiling problems (05B45) Determinants, permanents, traces, other special matrix functions (15A15) Tilings in (2) dimensions (aspects of discrete geometry) (52C20)

Abstract: Consider the $2n$-by-$2n$ matrix $M=(m_{i,j}{)}_{i,j=1}^{2n}$ with $m_{i,j}=1$ for $i,j$ satisfying $|2i-2n-1|+|2j-2n-1|leq2n$ and $m_{i,j}=0$ for all other $i,j$, consisting of a central diamond of 1's surrounded by 0's. When $ngeq4$, the $lambda$-determinant of the matrix $M$ (as introduced by Robbins and Rumsey) is not well-defined. However, if we replace the 0's by $t$'s, we get a matrix whose $lambda$-determinant is well-defined and is a polynomial in $lambda$ and $t$. The limit of this polynomial as $to0$ is a polynomial in $lambda$ whose value at $lambda=1$ is the number of domino tilings of a $2n$-by-$2n$ square.

Review text

The author uses \(\lambda\)-determinants to count domino-tilings of a \(2n\times 2n\) square. The \(\lambda\)-determinant is a generalization of the determinant of a matrix and was introduced by \textit{D. P. Robbins} and \textit{H. Rumsey jun.} [Adv. Math. 62, 169--184 (1986; Zbl 0611.15008)]. Consider the \(2n\times 2n\) matrix \(M=(m_{ij})_{i,j=1}^{2n}\) with \(m_{ij}=1\) if \(| 2i-2n-1| + | 2j-2n-1| \leq 2n\) and \(m_{ij}=0\) for all other \(i,j\) (thus \(M\) consists of a central diamond of \(1\)'s surrounded by \(0\)'s). When the \(0\)'s in \(M\) are replaced by a parameter \(t\), the \(\lambda\)-determinant of the resulting matrix is well-defined and is a polynomial in \(\lambda\) and \(t\). The limit of this polynomial as \(t \rightarrow 0\) is a polynomial in \(\lambda\) whose value at \(\lambda =1\) is the number of domino-tilings of a \(2n\times 2n\) square.

Recommendations

• Domino tilings and determinants
• Alternating-sign matrices and domino tilings. I
• A reciprocity theorem for domino tilings
• Alternating-sign matrices and domino tilings. II
• 2-adic behavior of numbers of domino tilings

Cites work

• Alternating-sign matrices and domino tilings. I
• Applications of graphical condensation for enumerating matchings and tilings
• Determinants and alternating sign matrices
• Dimer problem in statistical mechanics-an exact result
• Generalized domino-shuffling.
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 5783667 (Why is no real title available?)
• Perfect matchings and the octahedron recurrence
• The statistics of dimers on a lattice. I: The number of dimer arrangements on a quadratic lattice

Cited in

(9)

• The lattice structure of the set of domino tilings of a polygon
• Domino tilings and determinants
• Multiply-refined enumeration of alternating sign matrices
• Determinants of grids, tori, cylinders and Möbius ladders
• An inhomogeneous lambda-determinant
• The asymptotic determinant of the discrete Laplacian
• A heuristic approach to domino grid problem
• On λ-determinants and tiling problems
• Alternating-sign matrices and domino tilings. II

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