Simple Expansion Sets and Non-Positive Curvature

Abstract

An expansion set is a set $\mathcal{B}$ such that each $b \in \mathcal{B}$ is equipped with a set of expansions $\mathcal{E}(b)$. The theory of expansion sets offers a systematic approach to the construction of classifying spaces for generalized Thompson groups. We say that $\mathcal{B}$ is simple if proper expansions are unique when they exist. We will prove that any given simple expansion set determines a cubical complex with a metric of non-positive curvature. In many cases, the cubical complex will be CAT(0). We are thus able to recover proofs that Thompsons groups $F$, $T$, and $V$, Houghton's groups $H_{n}$, and groups defined by finite similarity structures all act on CAT(0) cubical complexes. We further state a sufficient condition for the cubical complex to be locally finite, and show that the latter condition is satisfied in the cases of $F$, $T$, $V$, and $H_{n}$.