Upper bound on the total number of knot $n$-mosaics

Abstract

Lomonaco and Kauffman introduced a knot mosaic system to give a definition of a quantum knot system which can be viewed as a blueprint for the construction of an actual physical quantum system. A knot $n$-mosaic is an $n \times n$ matrix of 11 kinds of specific mosaic tiles representing a knot or a link by adjoining properly that is called suitably connected. $D_n$ denotes the total number of all knot $n$-mosaics. Already known is that $D_1=1$, $D_2=2$, and $D_3=22$. In this paper we establish the lower and upper bounds on $D_n$ $$\frac{2}{275}(9 \cdot 6^{n-2} + 1)^2 \cdot 2^{(n-3)^2} \ \leq \ D_n \ \leq \ \frac{2}{275}(9 \cdot 6^{n-2} + 1)^2 \cdot (4.4)^{(n-3)^2}.$$ and find the exact number of $D_4 = 2594$.