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# PARTLY FREE ALGEBRAS FROM DIRECTED GRAPHS

## 1. Free Semigroupoid Algebras

Let $`G`$ be a finite or countable directed graph, with edge set $`E(G)`$ and vertex set $`V(G)`$. Let $`𝔽^+(G)`$ be the free semigroupoid determined by $`G`$; that is, $`𝔽^+(G)`$ consists of the vertices, which act as units, and all allowable finite paths in $`G`$, with the natural operations of concatenation of allowable paths. Given a path $`w`$ in $`𝔽^+(G)`$ we write $`w=ywx`$ when the initial and final vertices of $`w`$ are, respectively, $`x`$ and $`y`$. Let $`_G=\mathrm{}^2(𝔽^+(G))`$ be the Hilbert space with orthonormal basis indexed by elements of $`𝔽^+(G)`$. For each edge $`eE(G)`$ and vertex $`xV(G)`$, we may define partial isometries and projections on $`_G`$ by the following actions on basis vectors:

$$L_e\xi _w=\{\begin{array}{cc}\xi _{ew}& \text{if }ew𝔽^+(G)\hfill \\ 0& \text{otherwise}\hfill \end{array}$$

and

$$L_x\xi _w=\{\begin{array}{cc}\xi _{xw}=\xi _w& \text{if }w=xw𝔽^+(G)\hfill \\ 0& \text{otherwise}\hfill \end{array}$$

These operators may thus be regarded as ‘partial creation operators’ acting on a generalized Fock space Hilbert space. There is an equivalent tree perspective  which gives an appealing visual interpretation of the actions of these operators. The family $`\{L_e,L_x\}`$ also arises through the left regular representation $`\lambda _G:𝔽^+(G)(_G)`$, with $`\lambda _G(e)=L_e`$, and $`\lambda _G(x)=L_x`$. The associated free semigroupoid algebra is the weak operator topology closed algebra generated by this family,

$`𝔏_G`$ $`=`$ $`\text{wot}\mathrm{Alg}\{L_e,L_x:eE(G),xV(G)\}`$
$`=`$ $`\text{wot}\mathrm{Alg}\{\lambda _G(w):w𝔽^+(G)\}.`$
###### Remark 1.1.

In the case of finite graphs, Muhly and Solel  considered the norm closed algebras $`𝒜_G`$ generated by such a family, calling them quiver algebras. For both finite and countable graphs, we considered the classification problem for $`𝒜_G`$ in , and in Section 2.1 we derive partly free conditions for $`𝒜_G`$. Recently the $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebras generated by families of partial isometries associated with directed graphs have been studied heavily. The set of generators for these algebras are sometimes referred to as Cuntz-Krieger $`E`$-families (for instance see ). On the other hand, the generators of free semigroupoid algebras are of Cuntz-Krieger-Toeplitz type in the sense that the $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebra generated by a family $`\{L_e\}`$ is generally the extension of a Cuntz-Krieger $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebra by the compact operators.

There is also a right regular representation $`\rho _G:𝔽^+(G)(_G)`$ determined by $`G`$, which yields partial isometries $`\rho _G(w)R_w^{}`$ for $`w𝔽^+(G)`$ acting on $`_G`$ by the equations $`R_w^{}\xi _v=\xi _{vw}`$, where $`w^{}`$ is the word $`w`$ in reverse order, with similar conditions. The corresponding algebra is

$`_G`$ $`=`$ $`\text{wot}\mathrm{Alg}\{R_e,R_x:eE(G),xV(G)\}`$
$`=`$ $`\text{wot}\mathrm{Alg}\{\rho _G(w):w𝔽^+(G)\}.`$
Given edges $`e,fE(G)`$, observe that $`L_eR_f\xi _w=\xi _{ewf}=R_fL_e\xi _w`$, for all $`w𝔽^+(G)`$, so that $`L_eR_f=R_fL_e`$, and similarly for the vertex projections. In fact, the commutant of $`_G`$ coincides with $`𝔏_G=_G^{}`$ . Further, the commutant of $`𝔏_G`$ coincides with $`_G`$, and thus $`𝔏_G`$ is its own second commutant.

A useful ingredient in the proof is the observation that the algebras $`_G`$ and $`𝔏_{G^t}`$ are naturally unitarily equivalent, where $`G^t`$ is the transpose directed graph obtained from $`G`$ by reversing the directions of all edges. An important technical device obtained here is the existence of Fourier expansions for elements of $`𝔏_G`$. Specifically, if $`A𝔏_G`$ and $`xV(G)`$, then $`A\xi _x=_{w=wx}a_w\xi _w`$ with $`a_w`$, and Cesaro type sums associated with the formal sum $`_{w𝔽^+(G)}a_wL_w`$, converge in the strong operator topology to $`A`$. We write, $`A_{w𝔽^+(G)}a_wL_w`$. As a notational convenience, for projections determined by vertices $`xV(G)`$, we put $`P_xL_x`$ and $`Q_xR_x`$.

In  we proved that $`G`$ is a complete unitary invariant of both $`𝔏_G`$ and $`𝒜_G`$. Thus, different directed graphs really do yield different algebras. We finish this section by discussing a number of examples from simple graphs.

###### Examples 1.2.

$`(i)`$ The algebra generated by the graph with a single vertex $`x`$ and single loop edge $`e=xex`$ is unitarily equivalent to the classical analytic Toeplitz algebra $`H^{\mathrm{}}`$ . Indeed, the Hilbert space in this case may be naturally identified with the Hardy space $`H^2`$ of the unit disc, and under this identification $`L_e`$ is easily seen to be unitarily equivalent to the unilateral shift $`U_+`$.

$`(ii)`$ The noncommutative analytic Toeplitz algebras $`𝔏_n`$, $`n2`$ , the fundamental examples of free semigroup algebras, arise from the graphs with a single vertex and $`n`$ distinct loop edges. For instance, in the case $`n=2`$ with loop edges $`e=xexf=xfx`$, the Hilbert space is identified with unrestricted 2-variable Fock space $`_2`$. The operators $`L_e,L_f`$ are equivalent to the natural creation operators on $`_2`$, also known as the Cuntz-Toeplitz isometries. Further, $`P_x=I`$, and thus $`𝔏_G𝔏_2`$.

$`(iii)`$ As an example of a simple matrix function algebra, we may consider the graph $`G`$ with vertices $`x,y`$ and edges $`e=xex`$, $`f=yfx`$. Then $`𝔏_G`$ is generated by $`\{L_e,L_f,P_x,P_y\}`$. If we make the natural identifications $`_G=P_x_GP_y_GH^2H^2`$ (respecting word length), then

$$L_e\left[\begin{array}{cc}U_+& 0\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right]L_f\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& 0\\ U_+& 0\end{array}\right]P_x\left[\begin{array}{cc}I& 0\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right]P_y\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& 0\\ 0& I\end{array}\right].$$

Thus, $`𝔏_G`$ is seen to be unitarily equivalent to

$$𝔏_G\left[\begin{array}{cc}H^{\mathrm{}}& 0\\ H_0^{\mathrm{}}& I\end{array}\right]$$

where $`H_0^{\mathrm{}}`$ is the subalgebra of $`H^{\mathrm{}}`$ functions $`h`$ with $`h(0)=0`$.

$`(iv)`$ By simply adding a directed edge $`g=xgy`$ to the previous graph, we obtain a very different algebra $`𝔏_G^{}`$. In fact, $`𝔏_G^{}`$ is a unitally partly free algebra in the sense of the next section because it contains isometries with mutually orthogonal ranges; for instance, $`U=L_e^2+L_fL_g`$ and $`V=L_eL_g+L_gL_e`$ are isometries which satisfy $`U^{}V=0`$.

$`(v)`$ If $`G`$ is a finite graph with no directed cycles, then the Fock space $`_G`$ is finite-dimensional and so too is $`𝔏_G`$. As an example, consider the graph with three vertices and two edges, labelled $`x_1`$, $`x_2`$, $`x_3`$, $`e`$, $`f`$ where $`e=x_2ex_1`$, $`f=x_3fx_1`$. Then the Fock space is spanned by the vectors $`\{\xi _{x_1},\xi _{x_2},\xi _{x_3},\xi _e,\xi _f\}`$ and with this basis the general operator $`X=\alpha L_{x_1}+\beta L_{x_2}+\gamma L_{x_3}+\lambda L_e+\mu L_f`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ is represented by the matrix

$$X\left[\begin{array}{ccccc}\alpha & & & & \\ & \beta & & & \\ & & \gamma & & \\ \lambda & & & \beta & \\ \mu & & & & \gamma \end{array}\right].$$

Algebraically, $`𝔏_G`$ is isometrically isomorphic to the so-called digraph algebra in $`_3()`$ consisting of the matrices

$$\left[\begin{array}{ccc}\alpha & 0& 0\\ \lambda & \beta & 0\\ \mu & 0& \gamma \end{array}\right].$$

Recall that a digraph algebra $`𝒜(H)`$ is a unital subalgebra of $`_n()`$ which is spanned by some of the standard matrix units of $`_n()`$. The graph $`H`$ is transitive and reflexive and is such that the edges of $`H`$ naturally label the relevant matrix units.

$`(vi)`$ Let $`n1`$ and consider the cycle graph $`C_n`$ which has $`n`$ vertices $`x_1,\mathrm{},x_n`$ and $`n`$ edges $`e_n=x_1e_nx_n`$ and $`e_k=x_{k+1}e_kx_k`$ for $`k=0,\mathrm{},n1`$. The cycle algebra $`𝔏_{C_n}`$ may be identified with the wot-closed semicrossed product $`^n\times _\beta ^\sigma _+`$ associated with the cyclic shift automorphism $`\beta `$ of $`^n`$ . To see this identify $`L_{x_i}_G`$ with $`H^2`$ for each $`i`$ in the natural way (respecting word length). Then $`_G=L_{x_1}_G\mathrm{}L_{x_n}_G^nH^2`$ and the operator $`\alpha _1L_{e_1}+\mathrm{}+\alpha _nL_{e_n}`$ is identified with the operator matrix

$$\left[\begin{array}{ccccc}0& & & & \alpha _nT_z\\ \alpha _1T_z& 0& & & \\ & \alpha _2T_z& 0& & \\ & & \mathrm{}& \mathrm{}& \\ & & & \alpha _{n1}T_z& 0\end{array}\right].$$

Writing $`H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)`$ for the subalgebra of $`H^{\mathrm{}}`$ arising from functions of the form $`h(z^n)`$ with $`h`$ in $`H^{\mathrm{}}`$, the algebra $`𝔏_{C_n}`$ is readily identified with the matrix function algebra

$$\left[\begin{array}{cccc}H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)& z^{n1}H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)& \mathrm{}& zH^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)\\ zH^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)& H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)& & \mathrm{}\\ \mathrm{}& & \mathrm{}& \\ z^{n1}H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)& \mathrm{}& & H^{\mathrm{}}(z^n)\end{array}\right].$$

This in turn is identifiable with the crossed product above. In fact, this matrix function algebra is the wot-closed variant of the matrix function algebra $`_n`$ of De Alba and Peters  for the norm closed semicrossed product $`^n\times _\beta ^\sigma _+`$. Such identifications are the Toeplitz versions of the identification of the graph $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebra of $`C_n`$ with $`_n(\mathrm{C}(𝕋))`$.

## 2. Partly Free Algebras

We say that a wot-closed operator algebra $`𝔄`$ is partly free if it contains the free semigroup algebra $`𝔏_2`$ as a subalgebra in the sense of the following definition.

###### Definition 2.1.

A wot-closed algebra $`𝔄`$ is partly free if there is an inclusion map $`𝔏_2𝔄`$ which is the restriction of an injection between the generated von Neumann algebras. If the map can be chosen to be unital, then $`𝔄`$ is said to be unitally partly free.

These notions parallel the requirement that a $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebra contain the Cuntz algebra $`𝒪_2`$, or that a discrete group contain a free group. Theorems 2.5 and 2.6 determine when the algebras $`𝔏_G`$ are partly free and unitally partly free for both finite and countable directed graphs. We require the following structural result on partial isometries in $`𝔏_G`$.

###### Lemma 2.2.

 The initial projections of partial isometries $`V`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ are sums of projections from $`\{P_x:xV(G)\}`$. Specifically,

$$V^{}V=\underset{x}{}P_x\text{where}=\{xV(G):V\xi _x0\}.$$

In fact, we proved much more in . All partial isometries $`V`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ satisfy a standard form, written as $`V=_xL_{\eta _x}`$, where $`\{\eta _x\}_x`$ are unit wandering vectors for $`_G`$ supported on distinct $`Q_x_G`$, and hence the initial projections satisfy $`L_{\eta _x}^{}L_{\eta _x}=P_x`$.

The cycle algebras $`𝔏_{C_n}`$, $`1n<\mathrm{}`$, arise in the general theory, as does the algebra $`𝔏_C_{\mathrm{}}`$ generated by an infinite graph analogue of $`C_n`$. Let $`C_{\mathrm{}}`$ be the directed graph with vertex set $`\{x_k:k1\}`$ indexed by the natural numbers, and edge set $`\{e_k=x_{k+1}e_kx_k:k1\}`$. In the finite graph case, the cycle algebras $`𝔏_{C_n}`$ are the key examples of free semigroupoid algebras which are not partly free. However, $`𝔏_C_{\mathrm{}}`$ is unitally partly free, and this gives an indication of how pervasive these algebras are in the countable graph case.

###### Lemma 2.3.

The algebras $`𝔏_{C_n}`$, $`1n<\mathrm{}`$, are not partly free. However, $`𝔏_C_{\mathrm{}}`$ is unitally partly free.

Proof. We proved this result in  for $`1n<\mathrm{}`$ by showing $`𝔏_{C_n}`$ does not contain pairs of partial isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ which satisfy condition $`(iii)`$ of Theorem 2.5. For $`n=\mathrm{}`$, we shall construct a pair of isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ in $`𝔏_C_{\mathrm{}}`$ with orthogonal ranges. For $`k1`$, let $`u_k`$ and $`v_k`$ be the unique finite paths in $`𝔽^+(C_{\mathrm{}})`$ with $`u_k=x_{2k}u_kx_k`$ and $`v_k=x_{2k+1}v_kx_k`$. Then we may define $`U`$ and $`V`$ by

$$U=\underset{k1}{}L_{u_k}\text{and}V=\underset{k1}{}L_{v_k},$$

where the sums converge in the strong operator topology. A unital injection of $`𝔏_2`$ into $`𝔏_C_{\mathrm{}}`$ is then defined by mapping the two generators of $`𝔏_2`$ to $`U`$ and $`V`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

In fact it turns out there are two ways in which an algebra $`𝔏_G`$ can be partly free; namely $`G`$ must either contain a double-cycle or a proper infinite (directed) path, in the sense of the following definition.

###### Definition 2.4.

A cycle at vertex $`x`$ is a path of edges $`w=xwx`$ for which only the initial edge has source vertex $`x`$. The graph $`G`$ contains a double-cycle if there are distinct cycles $`w_i=xw_ix`$, $`i=1,2`$, at some vertex $`x`$ in $`G`$. By a proper infinite (directed) path in $`G`$, we mean an infinite word $`\omega =\mathrm{}e_{i_3}e_{i_2}e_{i_1}`$ in the edges of $`G`$ such that no edges are repeated and every finite segment corresponds to an allowable finite directed path in $`G`$.

A little thought shows that the only way a graph $`G`$ fails to have either a double-cycle or such a proper infinite path is if either there are no infinite paths at all, or, if every infinite path in the graph becomes periodic; in this case say that $`G`$ has the periodic path property. If, on the other hand, $`G`$ does not have the periodic path property, we shall say that $`G`$ has the aperiodic path property meaning that there exists an aperiodic infinite path. This in turn means that there exists a proper infinite path or a double-cycle.

We define the saturation at a vertex $`x`$ in $`G`$ to be the set, $`\mathrm{sat}(x)`$, that consists of $`x`$, together with all finite and infinite paths which start at $`x`$, and all vertices that are final vertices for paths starting at $`x`$. Consider a graph which is a downward directed tree in which every branch has finite length and different branches may intersect. Also perform the following surgery: add arbitrary cycles to some vertices without creating double-cycles. Note there can be infinite branchings. This ‘aperiodic looped tree graph’ does not have the aperiodic path property and furthermore such a graph is a ‘fairly typical’ graph without that property. In fact, $`G`$ does not have the aperiodic path property if and only if the saturation graph for each vertex has this kind of structure.

For the sake of brevity in the next proof we shall assume the finite vertex case .

###### Theorem 2.5.

The following assertions are equivalent for a finite or countable directed graph $`G`$:

* $`G`$ has the aperiodic path property.
* $`𝔏_G`$ is partly free.
* There are nonzero partial isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ with

$$U^{}U=V^{}V,UU^{}U^{}U,VV^{}V^{}V,U^{}V=0.$$

Proof. Since von Neumann algebra isomorphisms are spatial, condition $`(iii)`$ is a reformulation of $`(ii)`$. Thus it suffices to prove the equivalence of $`(i)`$ and $`(iii)`$.

To see $`(iii)(i)`$, first suppose $`U`$ and $`V`$ are partial isometries in $`𝔏_G`$ satisfying $`(iii)`$ with $`U^{}U=P_x=V^{}V`$ for some $`xV(G)`$. Then there is at least one cycle $`w=xwx`$ over $`x`$, for otherwise $`U=P_xUP_x=0`$ or $`U=P_x`$ and $`0=P_xU=V`$. Suppose $`w`$ is the only cycle over $`x`$. Then the compression algebra $`P_x𝔏_GP_x`$ forms the wot-closed subalgebra of $`𝔏_G`$ consisting of elements $`X𝔏_G`$ with Fourier expansions of the form $`X_{k0}a_kL_{w^k}`$. Let $`_x=P_x_G`$. Then $`P_x𝔏_G|__x`$ is evidently unitarily equivalent to $`𝔏_{C_1}H^{\mathrm{}}`$. But $`P_x𝔏_G|__x`$ contains a pair of non-zero partial isometries $`U|__x=P_xU|__x`$, $`V|__x=P_xV|__x`$ satisfying condition $`(iii)`$, and this contradicts Lemma 2.3. Thus, we deduce the existence of at least two cycles over $`x`$, and hence $`G`$ contains a double-cycle.

For the general case, let $`U`$ and $`V`$ be partial isometries in $`𝔏_G`$ satisfying $`(iii)`$ with $`U^{}U=V^{}V=_xP_x`$ as in Lemma 2.2. Suppose, by way of contradiction, that $`(i)`$ fails so that $`G`$ has the structure discussed above. The vertices $`x`$ in the index set $``$ are scattered over this graph. Plainly, either there exists such an $`x`$ with no other $`y`$ in $``$ in the saturation of $`x`$ or there is a cycle $`C`$ containing several such edges such that the saturation of $`C`$ contains no further vertices $`x`$ in $``$. In the first case we can consider the compression of the given $`U`$ and $`V`$ to $`_x`$, and in the second case the compression to $`_C=_{xV(C)}P_x_G`$. Observe that the saturations of $`x`$ and $`C`$ may be infinite. However, the conditions in $`(iii)`$ allow us to see that these compressions are indeed partial isometries because the hypothesis implies that the compression is the same (modulo a zero summand) as the restriction to the subspace $`𝔏_G_x`$ or $`𝔏_G_C`$. Now we get our contradiction by arguing as in the previous paragraph. Indeed, the first case is trivial and in the second case the compression of the algebra is unitarily equivalent to a cycle graph algebra $`𝔏_{C_n}`$.

Towards the implication $`(i)(iii)`$, suppose $`\omega `$ is a proper infinite path in $`G`$. Let $`𝒥`$ be the set of all vertices in $`G`$ for which the saturation at each $`x𝒥`$ contains part, and hence an entire tail, of $`\omega `$. Let $`\{x_k,y_k\}\{z_k\}`$ be a two-to-one map from the countable set $`𝒥`$ onto itself, such that the vertices $`x_k,y_k𝒥`$ belong to the saturation of $`z_k𝒥`$. Thus, there are distinct finite paths $`u_k=x_ku_kz_k`$, $`v_k=y_kv_kz_k`$. By design, $`U=_kL_{u_k}`$, $`V=_kL_{v_k}`$ are partial isometries in $`𝔏_G`$ with orthogonal ranges, initial projection $`U^{}U=P_𝒥=V^{}V`$, and $`U=P_𝒥UP_𝒥`$, $`V=P_𝒥VP_𝒥`$.

Next, suppose distinct cycles $`w_1`$, $`w_2`$ form a double-cycle over a vertex $`x`$ in $`G`$. Let $`𝒥`$ be the set of all vertices for which the saturation at each vertex in $`𝒥`$ contains this double-cycle. Let us enumerate the (possibly finite) vertices of $`𝒥`$ as $`\{x_k\}_k`$, and let $`r_k=xr_kx_k`$ be a path from $`x_k`$ to $`x`$. For each vertex $`x_k`$ in $`𝒥`$ choose, without repeating any choices, two paths $`u_k`$, $`v_k`$ amongst the set $`\{w_1^mw_2:m1\}`$. Then again by design, $`U=_kL_{u_kr_k}`$, $`V=_kL_{v_kr_k}`$ are partial isometries in $`𝔏_G`$ with orthogonal ranges, initial projection $`U^{}U=P_𝒥=V^{}V`$, and $`U=P_𝒥UP_𝒥`$, $`V=P_𝒥VP_𝒥`$. Therefore, in both cases we have shown that $`(i)(iii)`$, and this completes the proof. $`\mathrm{}`$

It follows from this result that the free semigroupoid algebras coming from countable graphs are typically partly free. Indeed, the condition on a countable graph $`G`$ which forces $`𝔏_G`$ to not be partly free is quite restrictive as outlined in the previous discussion. Below we discuss a number of examples.

The following is the unital version of the previous theorem. We shall say $`G`$ has the uniform aperiodic path property if the saturation at every vertex includes an aperiodic infinite path.

###### Theorem 2.6.

The following assertions are equivalent for a finite or countable directed graph $`G`$:

* $`G`$ has the uniform aperiodic path property.
* $`𝔏_G`$ is unitally partly free.
* There are isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ with

$$U^{}V=0.$$

Proof. Once again, condition $`(iii)`$ is a restatement of $`(ii)`$, so it suffices to prove the equivalence of $`(i)`$ and $`(iii)`$.

For $`(iii)(i)`$, the proof of Theorem 2.5 can be adapted to show that the saturation at every vertex in the index set of vertices $``$, determining the initial projection for the partial isometries $`U`$, $`V`$, includes a double-cycle or a proper infinite path. Hence we may apply this argument in the current case with $`=V(G)`$ as we are dealing with isometries here, $`U^{}U=V^{}V=I=_{xV(G)}P_x`$, and it follows that $`G`$ has the uniform aperiodic path property.

To see $`(i)(iii)`$, consider the last two paragraphs in the proof of Theorem 2.5. As $`G`$ satisfies the uniform aperiodic path property, it follows that we may decompose the vertex set for $`G`$ into disjoint subsets $`V(G)=_i𝒥_i`$, where each $`𝒥_i`$ is obtained as in one of these two cases; double-cycles, or proper infinite paths. In either case we can define partial isometries $`U_i`$, $`V_i`$ in $`𝔏_G`$ with orthogonal ranges, $`U_i=P_{𝒥_i}U_iP_{𝒥_i}`$, $`V_i=P_{𝒥_i}V_iP_{𝒥_i}`$, and $`U_i^{}U_i=P_{𝒥_i}=V_i^{}V_i`$. Thus, the operators $`U=_iU_i`$, $`V=_iV_i`$ are isometries in $`𝔏_G`$ with mutually orthogonal ranges. $`\mathrm{}`$

We next add to the short list of known hyper-reflexive algebras  by extending our result from  to the case of countable graphs. Given an operator algebra $`𝔄`$, a measure of the distance to $`𝔄`$ is given by

$$\beta _𝔄(X)=\underset{L\mathrm{Lat}𝔄}{sup}P_L^{}XP_L,$$

where $`P_L`$ is the projection onto the subspace $`L`$ and $`\mathrm{Lat}𝔄`$ is the lattice of invariant subspaces for $`𝔄`$. Evidently, $`\beta _𝔄(X)\mathrm{dist}(X,𝔄)`$, and the algebra $`𝔄`$ is said to be hyper-reflexive if there is a constant $`C`$ such that $`\mathrm{dist}(X,𝔄)C\beta _𝔄(X)`$ for all $`X`$.

The free semigroup algebras $`𝔏_n`$ were proved to be hyper-reflexive by Davidson ($`n=1`$ ) and Davidson and Pitts ($`n2`$ ). Furthermore, motivated by the $`𝔏_n`$ case Bercovici  proved an algebra is hyper-reflexive with distant constant no greater than $`3`$ whenever its commutant contains a pair of isometries with orthogonal ranges.

###### Corollary 2.7.

Let $`G`$ be a finite or countable directed graph such that the transpose graph $`G^t`$ satisfies the uniform aperiodic path property; equivalently, $`𝔏_{G^t}`$ is unitally partly free. Then $`𝔏_G`$ is hyper-reflexive with distant constant at most 3.

Proof. This is a direct consequence of Bercovici’s result  since $`𝔏_G^{}=_G𝔏_{G^t}`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Problem 2.8.

Is $`𝔏_G`$ hyper-reflexive for every directed graph $`G`$?

We next present some simple examples for the countable graph case. The focus will be on the new aspect discovered here; the relevance of proper infinite paths.

###### Examples 2.9.

$`(i)`$ Let $`G`$ be the directed graph with vertices $`\{x_k:k\}`$ indexed by the integers and directed edges $`\{e_k=x_{k+1}e_kx_k:k\}`$. We could also add (possibly infinite) directed paths $`w_k=x_kw_k`$. Then every vertex saturation in $`G`$ contains a proper infinite tail $`\omega _k=\mathrm{}e_{k+1}e_k`$ for some $`k`$. Thus $`G`$ satisfies the uniform aperiodic path property, and $`𝔏_G`$ is unitally partly free.

Consider the interesting special case that occurs when all the paths $`w_k=x_kw_kx_k`$ are loop edges. Evidently $`G^t`$ and $`G`$ are isomorphic, hence the commutant $`𝔏_G^{}=_G𝔏_{G^t}𝔏_G`$ is unitarily equivalent to $`𝔏_G`$ and is also unitally partly free. As a variation of this case, instead let $`H`$ be the subgraph $`H=\{x_k,e_k,w_k:k1\}`$. Then $`𝔏_H`$ is unitally partly free, but $`𝔏_H^{}𝔏_{H^t}`$ is not even partly free.

$`(ii)`$ A non-discrete example is given by the graph $`Q`$ consisting of vertices $`\{x_q:q\}`$ indexed by the rational numbers, and directed edges $`e_{qp}=x_qe_{qp}x_p`$ whenever $`pq`$. This example satisfies the uniform aperiodic path property, in fact there is an abundance of infinite non-overlapping directed paths emanating from each vertex, so $`𝔏_Q`$ is unitally partly free. However, notice that the quiver algebra $`𝒜_G`$ is not even partly free (see Section 2.1). Further note that $`Q^t`$ is graph isomorphic to $`Q`$, thus $`𝔏_Q𝔏_{Q^t}𝔏_Q^{}`$ is unitarily equivalent to its commutant.

$`(iii)`$ The following example was suggested to us by Ken Davidson. For $`n2`$, let $`𝔽_n^+`$ be the unital free semigroup on $`n`$ noncommuting letters, written as $`\{1,2,\mathrm{},n\}`$, with unit $`\varphi `$. Let $`G_n`$ be the doubly-bifurcating (sideways) infinite tree with vertices $`\{x_w:w𝔽_n^+\}`$ indexed by words in $`𝔽_n^+`$, and directed edges $`\{e_{iw}=x_{iw}e_{iw}x_w:w𝔽_n^+,1in\}`$ determined by the directions $`wiw`$. Then $`G_n`$ satisfies the uniform aperiodic path property (observe that $`G_1=C_{\mathrm{}}`$), and hence $`𝔏_{G_n}`$ is unitally partly free. An interesting point here is that the graph $`G_n`$ itself has the structure of the full Fock space Hilbert space $`\mathrm{}^2(𝔽_n^+)`$ traced out by its left creation operators. Whereas, the Fock space $`_{G_n}`$ consists of infinitely many disjoint infinite-dimensional components, indexed by elements of $`𝔽_n^+`$. The transpose graph $`G_n^t`$ is quite different from $`G_n`$. In fact the commutant algebra $`𝔏_{G_n^t}_{G_n}=𝔏_{G_n}^{}`$ is not partly free.

$`(iv)`$ Let $`G`$ be the directed graph with vertices $`\{x_k:k1\}`$ and edges $`\{e_k=x_ke_kx_1:k1\}`$. This graph has no infinite paths or double-cycles, hence $`𝔏_G`$ is not partly free. A variation of this example, turning the $`e_k`$ into non-overlapping paths of length $`k`$ that only intersect at vertex $`x_1`$, produces a non-partly free $`𝔏_G`$ with graph containing non-overlapping finite paths of arbitrarily large length.

$`(v)`$ Let $`G=\{x_1,x_2,e_k=x_2e_kx_1:k1\}`$ with $`e_k`$ distinct edges. Then $`𝔏_G`$ is not partly free and is unitarily equivalent to its commutant $`𝔏_G^{}𝔏_{G^t}`$.

$`(vi)`$ Let $`G`$ be the directed graph with vertices $`\{x_k:k\}`$ and directed edges $`\{e_k:k\}`$ where

$$e_k=\{\begin{array}{cc}x_{2m+1}e_kx_{2m}\hfill & \text{if }k=2m\hfill \\ x_{2m+1}e_kx_{2m+2}\hfill & \text{if }k=2m+1.\hfill \end{array}$$

Then $`𝔏_G`$ is not partly free and is unitarily equivalent to its commutant $`𝔏_G^{}𝔏_{G^t}`$.

### 2.1. Partly Free Quiver Algebras

Using Theorems 2.5 and 2.6 we may readily deduce graph-theoretic conditions for quiver algebras $`𝒜_G`$ to be partly free. We require the following structural result for partial isometries in $`𝒜_G`$ for the countable graph case. An immediate consequence is that $`𝒜_G`$ only contains isometries when $`G`$ has finitely many vertices.

###### Lemma 2.10.

Let $`G`$ be a countable directed graph. If $`V`$ is a partial isometry in $`𝒜_G`$, then its initial projection $`V^{}V=_xP_x`$ is the sum of only finitely many $`P_x`$.

Proof. In fact, if $`V`$ is a partial isometry in $`𝔏_G`$ for which $``$ is an infinite set, then $`\mathrm{dist}(V,𝒜_G)1.`$ Indeed, let $`q(L)`$ belong to the set of polynomials $`𝒜=\mathrm{Alg}\{L_w:w𝔽^+(G)\}`$ in the $`L_e`$ and $`L_x=P_x`$. As $``$ is infinite, there is a $`y`$ such that $`q(L)P_y=0`$. Hence $`1=VP_y=VP_yq(L)P_yVq(L),`$ and this proves the claim because $`𝒜`$ is (norm) dense in $`𝒜_G`$. The lemma follows since $`𝔏_G`$ contains $`𝒜_G`$. $`\mathrm{}`$

Let $`𝒜_2`$ be the quiver algebra generated by the graph with a single vertex and two distinct loop edges. This is the noncommutative disc algebra of Popescu , also considered by Arias , and Muhly-Solel . Say that $`𝒜_G`$ is partly free, or unitally partly free, if the maps in Definition 2.1 are injections of $`𝒜_2`$ into $`𝒜_G`$, and are restrictions of injections of the generated $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebras.

We say that a graph $`G`$ has the double-cycle property if $`G`$ contains a double-cycle, and $`G`$ satisfies the uniform double-cycle property when every vertex saturation $`\mathrm{sat}(x)`$ includes a double-cycle. Compare the following results with Theorems 2.5 and 2.6, and notice how the proper infinite path phenomena only arises in the wot-closed case. In particular, there are many examples in the countable graph case for which $`𝔏_G`$ is partly free, but $`𝒜_G`$ is not.

###### Theorem 2.11.

The following assertions are equivalent for a finite or countable directed graph $`G`$:

* $`G`$ has the double-cycle property.
* $`𝒜_G`$ is partly free.
* There are nonzero partial isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ in $`𝒜_G`$ with

$$U^{}U=V^{}V,UU^{}U^{}U,VV^{}V^{}V,U^{}V=0.$$

Proof. As in Theorem 2.5 it suffices to establish the equivalence of $`(i)`$ and $`(iii)`$. But $`(i)(iii)`$ is clear since $`𝒜_G`$ will include $`U=L_{w_1}`$, $`V=L_{w_2}`$, where $`w_1`$, $`w_2`$ are distinct cycles over a common vertex, when $`(i)`$ holds. On the other hand, as $`𝔏_G`$ contains $`𝒜_G`$, condition $`(iii)`$ implies $`G`$ satisfies the aperiodic path property by Theorem 2.5. But recall from the proof of $`(iii)(i)`$ in Theorem 2.5 that the proper infinite path part of this property can only occur when the initial vertex set $``$ is infinite. Hence by Lemma 2.10, $`G`$ contains a double-cycle and $`(i)`$ holds. $`\mathrm{}`$

In the unital case, the graph can only have finitely many vertices.

###### Theorem 2.12.

The following assertions are equivalent for a finite or countable directed graph $`G`$:

* $`G`$ has finitely many vertices and satisfies the uniform double-cycle property.
* $`𝒜_G`$ is unitally partly free.
* There are isometries $`U`$, $`V`$ in $`𝒜_G`$ with

$$U^{}V=0.$$

Proof. This result follows from Theorem 2.6 as the previous result follows from Theorem 2.5, other than the extra vertex condition on $`G`$. In particular, $`(iii)`$ implies $`G`$ satisfies the uniform infinite path property, but since $`U`$, $`V`$ are isometries the initial vertex set in this case is the entire vertex set of $`G`$, that is $`=V(G)`$. Therefore, $`G`$ can only have finitely many vertices by Lemma 2.11 and must satisfy the uniform double-cycle property. $`\mathrm{}`$

Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Ken Davidson for organizing a workshop on nonselfadjoint operator algebras at the Fields Institute in Toronto (July 2002), where the authors had a number of productive conversations. The first named author would also like to thank members of the Department of Mathematics at Purdue University for kind hospitality during preparation of this article.

Note Added in Proof. Problem 2.8 has been answered in the affirmative for all finite graphs . The problem remains open for general $`𝔏_G`$. We also mention that the ideal structure of $`𝔏_G`$ has been analyzed in . Further, Ephrem  has recently identified graph conditions which characterize when a Cuntz-Krieger graph $`\mathrm{C}^{}`$-algebra has type I representation theory. Interestingly, the condition he obtains for finite graphs is equivalent to the graph not having any double-cycles.

| Addresses: | Department of Mathematics and Statistics |
| --- | --- |
|  | University of Guelph |
|  | Guelph, Ontario |
|  | CANADA N1G 2W1 |
|  |
|  | Department of Mathematics and Statistics |
|  | Lancaster University |
|  | Lancaster, England |
|  | UK LA1 4YW |
|  |
| E-mail addresses: | kribs@math.purdue.edu |
|  | s.power@lancaster.ac.uk |

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. 47L55, 47L75.