arXiv subjects

Marcelo Laca

Publications and source records attributed to Marcelo Laca.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Supercritical phase transition on the Toeplitz algebra of $\mathbb N^\times \ltimes \mathbb Z$

We study the high-temperature equilibrium for the C*-algebra $\mathcal T (\mathbb N^\times \ltimes \mathbb N)$ recently considered by an Huef, Laca and Raeburn. We show that the simplex of KMS$_\beta$ states at each inverse temperature $\beta$ in the critical interval $(0,1]$ is a Bauer simplex whose space of extreme points is homeomorphic to $\mathbb N \sqcup\{\infty\}$. This is in contrast to the uniqueness of equilibrium at high temperature observed in previously considered systems arising from number theory. We also show that quotients of our system exhibit spontaneous symmetry-breaking by finite cyclotomic Galois groups and establish their connection to the Bost-Connes phase transition.

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arXiv2024

On Toeplitz algebras of product systems

In the setting of product systems over group-embeddable monoids, we consider nuclearity of the associated Toeplitz C*-algebra in relation to nuclearity of the coefficient algebra. Our work goes beyond the known cases of single correspondences and compactly aligned product systems over right LCM monoids. Specifically, given a product system over a submonoid of a group, we show, under technical assumptions, that the fixed-point algebra of the gauge action is nuclear iff the coefficient algebra is nuclear; when the group is amenable, we conclude that this happens iff the Toeplitz algebra itself is nuclear. Our main results imply that nuclearity of the Toeplitz algebra is equivalent to nuclearity of the coefficient algebra for every full product system of Hilbert bimodules over abelian monoids, over $ax+b$-monoids of integral domains and over Baumslag-Solitar monoids $BS^+(m,n)$ that admit an amenable embedding, which we provide for $m$ and $n$ relatively prime.

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arXiv2024

Crystallization of C*-algebras

Given a C$^*$-algebra $A$ with an almost periodic time evolution $\sigma$, we define a new C$^*$-algebra $A_c$, which we call the crystal of $(A,\sigma)$, that represents the zero temperature limit of $(A, \sigma)$. We prove that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the ground states of $(A,\sigma)$ and the states on $A_c$, justifying the name. In order to investigate further the relation between low temperature equilibrium states on $A$ and traces on $A_c$, we define a Fock module $\mathcal F$ over the crystal and construct a vacuum representation of $A$ on $\mathcal F$. This allows us to show, under relatively mild assumptions, that for sufficiently large inverse temperatures $\beta$ the $\sigma$-KMS$_\beta$-states on $A$ are induced from traces on $A_c$ by means of the Fock module. In the second part, we compare the K-theoretic structures of $A$ and $A_c$. Previous work by various authors suggests that they have (rationally) isomorphic K-groups. We analyze this phenomenon in detail, confirming it under favorable conditions, but showing that, in general, there is apparently no easy way to relate these groups. As examples, we discuss in particular Exel's results on semi-saturated circle actions, and recent results of Miller on the K-theory of inverse semigroup C$^*$-algebras. In relation to the latter, we introduce the notion of a scale $N$ on an inverse semigroup $I$ and define a new inverse semigroup $I_c$, which we call the crystal of $(I,N)$.

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arXiv2023

Relative topological principality and the ideal intersection property for groupoid C*-algebras

We introduce the notion of relative topological principality for a family $\{H_\alpha\}$ of open subgroupoids of a Hausdorff \'etale groupoid $G$. The C*-algebras $C^*_r(H_\alpha)$ of the groupoids $H_\alpha$ embed in $ C^*_r(G)$ and we show that if $G$ is topologically principal relative to $\{H_\alpha\}$ then a representation of $C^*_r(G)$ is faithful if and only if its restriction to each of the subalgebras $C^*_r(H_\alpha)$ is faithful. This variant of the ideal intersection property potentially involves several subalgebras, and gives a new method of verifying injectivity of representations of reduced groupoid C*-algebras. As applications we prove a uniqueness theorem for Toeplitz C*-algebras of left cancellative small categories that generalizes a recent result of Laca and Sehnem for Toeplitz algebras of group-embeddable monoids, and we also discuss and compare concrete examples arising from integer arithmetic.

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arXiv2022

Quantum Statistical Mechanics via Boundary Conditions. A Groupoid Approach to Quantum Spin Systems

We use a groupoid model for the spin algebra to introduce boundary conditions on quantum spin systems via a Poisson point process representation. We can describe KMS states of quantum systems by means of a set of equations resembling the standard DLR equations of classical statistical mechanics. We introduce a notion of quantum specification which recovers the classical DLR measures in the particular case of classical interactions. Our results are in the same direction as those obtained recently by Cha, Naaijkens, and Nachtergaele, differently somehow from the predicted by Fannes and Werner.

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arXiv2022

KMS states of quasi-free dynamics on $C^*$-algebras of product systems over right LCM monoids

We generalise recent results of Afsar, Larsen and Neshveyev for product systems over quasi-lattice orders by showing that the equilibrium states of quasi-free dynamics on the Nica-Toeplitz $C^*$-algebras of product systems over right LCM monoids must satisfy a positivity condition encoded in a system of inequalities satisfied by their restrictions to the coefficient algebra. We prove that the reduction of this positivity condition to a finite subset of inequalities is valid for a wider class of monoids that properly includes finite-type Artin monoids, answering a question left open in their work. Our main technical tool is a combinatorially generated tree modelled on a recent construction developed by Boyu Li for dilations of contractive representations. We also obtain a reduction of the positivity condition to inequalities arising from a certain minimal subset that may not be finite but has the advantage of holding for all Noetherian right LCM monoids, and we present an example, arising from a finite-type Artin monoid, that exhibits a gap in its inverse temperature space.

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arXiv2021

Boundary quotients of the right Toeplitz algebra of the affine semigroup over the natural numbers

We consider the semigroup crossed product of the additive natural numbers by the multiplicative natural numbers. We study its Toeplitz C*-algebra generated by the right-regular representation, which we call the right Toeplitz algebra. We analyse its structure by studying three distinguished quotients. We show that the multiplicative boundary quotient is isomorphic to a crossed product of the Toeplitz algebra of the additive rationals by an action of the multiplicative rationals, and study its ideal structure. We identify the Crisp-Laca boundary quotient as the C*-algebra of the corresponding group built from rational numbers. There is a natural dynamics on the right Toeplitz algebra and all its KMS states factor through the additive boundary quotient. We describe the KMS simplex for inverse temperatures greater than one.

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arXiv2021

Equilibrium on Toeplitz extensions of higher dimensional noncommutative tori

The C*-algebra generated by the left-regular representation of $\mathbb{N}^n$ twisted by a $2$-cocycle is a Toeplitz extension of an $n$-dimensional noncommutative torus, on which each vector $r \in [0,\infty)^n$ determines a one-parameter subgroup of the gauge action. We show that the equilibrium states of the resulting C*-dynamical system are parametrised by tracial states of the noncommutative torus corresponding to the restriction of the cocycle to the vanishing coordinates of $r$. These in turn correspond to probability measures on a classical torus whose dimension depends on a certain degeneracy index of the restricted cocycle. Our results generalise the phase transition on the Toeplitz noncommutative tori used as building blocks in recent work of Brownlowe, Hawkins and Sims, and of Afsar, an Huef, Raeburn and Sims.

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arXiv2021

Co-universality and controlled maps on product systems over right LCM-semigroups

We study the structure of C*-algebras associated with compactly aligned product systems over group embeddable right LCM-semigroups. Towards this end we employ controlled maps and a controlled elimination method that associates the original cores to those of the controlling pair, and we combine with applications of the C*-envelope theory for cosystems of nonselfadjoint operator algebras recently produced. We derive several applications of these methods that generalize results on single C*-correspondences. First we show that if the controlling group is exact then the co-universal C*-algebra of the product system coincides with the quotient of the Fock C*-algebra by the ideal of strong covariance relations. We show that if the controlling group is amenable then the product system is amenable. In particular if the controlling group is abelian then the co-universal C*-algebra is the C*-envelope of the tensor algebra. Secondly we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the Fock C*-algebra to be nuclear and exact. When the controlling group is amenable we completely characterize nuclearity and exactness of any equivariant injective Nica-covariant representation of the product system. Thirdly we consider controlled maps that enjoy a saturation property. In this case we induce a compactly aligned product system over the controlling pair that shares the same Fock representation, and preserves injectivity. By using co-universality, we show that they share the same reduced covariance algebras. If in addition the controlling pair is a total order then the fixed point algebra of the controlling group induces a super-product system that has the same reduced covariance algebra and is moreover reversible.

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arXiv2021

Boundary quotient C*-algebras of semigroups

We study two classes of operator algebras associated with a unital subsemigroup $P$ of a discrete group $G$: one related to universal structures, and one related to co-universal structures. First we provide connections between universal C*-algebras that arise variously from isometric representations of $P$ that reflect the space $\mathcal{J}$ of constructible right ideals, from associated Fell bundles, and from induced partial actions. This includes connections of appropriate quotients with the strong covariance relations in the sense of Sehnem. We then pass to the reduced representation $\mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(P)$ and we consider the boundary quotient $\partial \mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(P)$ related to the minimal boundary space. We show that $\partial \mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(P)$ is co-universal in two different classes: (a) with respect to the equivariant constructible isometric representations of $P$; and (b) with respect to the equivariant C*-covers of the reduced nonselfadjoint semigroup algebra $\mathcal{A}(P)$. If $P$ is an Ore semigroup, or if $G$ acts topologically freely on the minimal boundary space, then $\partial \mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(P)$ coincides with the usual C*-envelope $\mathrm{C}^*_{\text{env}}(\mathcal{A}(P))$ in the sense of Arveson. This covers total orders, finite type and right-angled Artin monoids, the Thompson monoid, multiplicative semigroups of nonzero algebraic integers, and the $ax+b$-semigroups over integral domains that are not a field. In particular, we show that $P$ is an Ore semigroup if and only if there exists a canonical $*$-isomorphism from $\partial \mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(P)$, or from $\mathrm{C}^*_{\text{env}}(\mathcal{A}(P))$, onto $\mathrm{C}^*_\lambda(G)$. If any of the above holds, then $\mathcal{A}(P)$ is shown to be hyperrigid.

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arXiv2021

Dilation theory for right LCM semigroup dynamical systems

This paper examines actions of right LCM semigroups by endomorphisms of C*-algebras that encode an additional structure of the right LCM semigroup. We define contractive covariant representations for these semigroup dynamical systems and prove a generalized Stinespring's dilation theorem showing that these representations can be dilated if and only if the map on the C*-algebra is unital and completely positive. This generalizes earlier results about dilations of right LCM semigroups of contractions. In addition, we also give sufficient conditions under which a contractive covariant representation of a right LCM system can be dilated to an isometric representation of the boundary quotient.

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arXiv2021

Toeplitz algebras of semigroups

To each monoid $P$ that embeds in a group we associate a universal Toeplitz C*-algebra $T_u(P)$ defined via generators and relations; $T_u(P)$ is a quotient of Li's semigroup C*-algebra $C^*(P)$ and they are isomorphic if and only if $P$ satisfies independence. We give a partial crossed product realization of $T_u(P)$ and show that several key results known for $C^*(P)$ when $P$ satisfies independence are also valid for $T_u(P)$ when independence fails. At the level of the reduced semigroup C*-algebra $T_r(P)$, we show that nontrivial ideals have nontrivial intersection with the reduced crossed product of the diagonal subalgebra by the action of the group of units of $P$, generalizing a result of Li for monoids with trivial unit group. We also characterize when the action of the group of units is topologically free and we show that in this case a representation of $T_r(P)$ is faithful iff it is jointly proper. This yields a uniqueness theorem for C*-algebras generated by semigroups of isometries that unifies several classical results. We provide a presentation for the covariance algebra of the product system over $P$ with one-dimensional fibers in terms of a notion of foundation sets of constructible ideals that generalizes that of Sims and Yeend for quasi-lattice orders. The covariance algebra is a full, or universal, analogue of the boundary quotient. We give purely algebraic sufficient conditions on $P$ for the boundary quotient to be purely infinite simple, which reduce to Starling's conditions in the case of right LCM monoids. We discuss applications of our results to examples that include a numerical semigroup and the $ax+b$-monoid of an integral domain. This is particularly interesting in the case of nonmaximal orders in number fields, for which we show independence always fails. In addition, we simplify and generalize results for right LCM monoids.

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arXiv2020

C-envelopes for operator algebras with a coaction and co-universal C-algebras for product systems

A cosystem consists of a possibly nonselfadoint operator algebra equipped with a coaction by a discrete group. We introduce the concept of C*-envelope for a cosystem; roughly speaking, this is the smallest C*-algebraic cosystem that contains an equivariant completely isometric copy of the original one. We show that the C*-envelope for a cosystem always exists and we explain how it relates to the usual C*-envelope. We then show that for compactly aligned product systems over group-embeddable right LCM semigroups, the C*-envelope is co-universal, in the sense of Carlsen, Larsen, Sims and Vittadello, for the Fock tensor algebra equipped with its natural coaction. This yields the existence of a co-universal C*-algebra, generalizing previous results of Carlsen, Larsen, Sims and Vittadello, and of Dor-On and Katsoulis. We also realize the C*-envelope of the tensor algebra as the reduced cross sectional algebra of a Fell bundle introduced by Sehnem, which, under a mild assumption of normality, we then identify to the quotient of the Fock algebra by the image of Sehnem's strong covariance ideal. In another application, we obtain a reduced Hao-Ng isomorphism theorem for the co-universal algebras.

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arXiv2020

Amenability and functoriality of right-LCM semigroup C*-algebras

We prove a functoriality result for the full C*-algebras of right-LCM monoids with respect to monoid inclusions that are closed under factorization and preserve orthogonality, and use this to show that if a right-LCM monoid is amenable in the sense of Nica, then so are its submonoids. As applications, we complete the classification of Artin monoids with respect to Nica amenability by showing that only the right-angled ones are amenable in the sense of Nica and we show that the Nica amenability of a graph product of right-LCM semigroups is inherited by the factors.

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arXiv2019

Partition functions as C*-dynamical invariants and actions of congruence monoids

We study the phase transition of KMS states for the C*-algebras of $ax+b$-semigroups of algebraic integers in which the multiplicative part is restricted to a congruence monoid, as in recent work of Bruce generalizing earlier work of Cuntz, Deninger, and Laca. Here we realize the extremal low-temperature KMS states as generalized Gibbs states by constructing concrete representations induced from extremal traces of certain group C*-algebras. We use these representations to compute the Murray--von Neumann type of extremal KMS states and we determine explicit partition functions for the type I factor states. The collection of partition functions that arise this way is an invariant under $\mathbb{R}$-equivariant isomorphism of C*-dynamical systems, which produces further invariants through the analysis of the topological structure of the KMS state space. As an application we characterize several features of the underlying number field and congruence monoid in terms of these invariants. In most cases our systems have infinitely many type I factor KMS states and at least one type II factor KMS state at the same inverse temperature and there are infinitely many partition functions. In order to deal with this multiplicity, we establish, in the context of general C*-dynamical systems, a precise way to associate partition functions to extremal KMS states that are of type I, and we then show that for our systems these partition functions depend only on connected components in the KMS simplex. The discussion of partition functions of general C*-dynamical systems may be of interest by itself and is likely to have applications in other contexts, so we include it in a self-contained initial section that is partly expository and is independent of the number-theoretic background and of the technical results about congruence monoids.

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arXiv2018

Reconstructing directed graphs from generalised gauge actions on their Toeplitz algebras

We show how to reconstruct a finite directed graph E from its Toeplitz algebra, its gauge action, and the canonical finite-dimensional abelian subalgebra generated by the vertex projections. We also show that if E has no sinks, then we can recover E from its Toeplitz algebra and the generalised gauge action that has, for each vertex, an independent copy of the circle acting on the generators corresponding to edges emanating from that vertex. We show by example that it is not possible to recover E from its Toeplitz algebra and gauge action alone.

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arXiv2018

Ground states of groupoid C*-algebras, phase transitions and arithmetic subalgebras for Hecke algebras

We consider the Hecke pair consisting of the group $P^+_K$ of affine transformations of a number field $K$ that preserve the orientation in every real embedding and the subgroup $P^+_O$ consisting of transformations with algebraic integer coefficients. The associated Hecke algebra $C^*(P^+_K,P^+_O)$ has a natural time evolution $\sigma$, and we describe the corresponding phase transition for KMS$_\beta$-states and for ground states. From work of Yalkinoglu and Neshveyev it is known that a Bost-Connes type system associated to $K$ has an essentially unique arithmetic subalgebra. When we import this subalgebra through the isomorphism of $C^*(P^+_K,P^+_O)$ to a corner in the Bost-Connes system established by Laca, Neshveyev and Trifkovic, we obtain an arithmetic subalgebra of $C^*(P^+_K,P^+_O)$ on which ground states exhibit the `fabulous' property with respect to an action of the Galois group $Gal(K^{ab}/H_+(K))$, where $H_+(K)$ is the narrow Hilbert class field. In order to characterize the ground states of the $C^*$-dynamical system $(C^*(P^+_K,P^+_O),\sigma)$, we obtain first a characterization of the ground states of a groupoid $C^*$-algebra, refining earlier work of Renault. This is independent from number theoretic considerations, and may be of interest by itself in other situations.

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arXiv2018

Phase transitions on C*-algebras arising from number fields and the generalized Furstenberg conjecture

In recent work, Cuntz, Deninger and Laca have studied the Toeplitz type C*-algebra associated to the affine monoid of algebraic integers in a number field, under a time evolution determined by the absolute norm. The KMS equilibrium states of their system are parametrized by traces on the C*-algebras of the semidirect products $J \rtimes O^*$ resulting from the multiplicative action of the units $O^*$ on integral ideals $J$ representing each ideal class. At each fixed inverse temperature $\beta > 2$, the extremal equilibrium states correspond to extremal traces of $C^*(J\rtimes O^*)$. Here we undertake the study of these traces using the transposed action of $O^*$ on the duals $\hat J$ of the ideals and the recent characterization of traces on transformation group C*-algebras due to Neshveyev. We show that the extremal traces of $C^*(J\rtimes O^*)$ are parametrized by pairs consisting of an ergodic invariant measure for the action of $O^*$ on $\hat{J}$ together with a character of the isotropy subgroup associated to the support of this measure. For every ideal the dual group $\hat {J}$ is a d-torus on which $O^*$ acts by linear toral automorphisms. Hence, the problem of classifying all extremal traces is a generalized version of Furstenberg's celebrated $\times 2$ $\times 3$ conjecture. We classify the results for various number fields in terms of ideal class group, degree, and unit rank, and we point along the way the trivial, the intractable, and the conjecturally classifiable cases. At the topological level, it is possible to characterize the number fields for which infinite $O^*$-invariant sets are dense in $\hat{J} $, thanks to a theorem of Berend; as an application we give a description of the primitive ideal space of $C^*(J\rtimes O^*)$ for those number fields.

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