Self-similar k-Graph C*-Algebras

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we introduce a notion of a self-similar action of a group $G$ on a $k$-graph $\Lambda $ and associate it a universal C$^\ast $-algebra ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$. We prove that ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$ can be realized as the Cuntz–Pimsner algebra of a product system. If $G$ is amenable and the action is pseudo free, then ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$ is shown to be isomorphic to a “path-like” groupoid C$^\ast $-algebra. This facilitates studying the properties of ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$. We show that ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$ is always nuclear and satisfies the universal coefficient theorem; we characterize the simplicity of ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$ in terms of the underlying action, and we prove that, whenever ${{\mathcal{O}}}_{G,\Lambda }$ is simple, there is a dichotomy: it is either stably finite or purely infinite, depending on whether $\Lambda $ has nonzero graph traces or not. Our main results generalize the recent work of Exel and Pardo on self-similar graphs.