Groups of given intermediate word growth

We show that there exists a finitely generated group of growth ~f for all functions f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow\mathbb{R} satisfying f(2R) \leq f(R)^{2} \leq f(\eta R) for all R large enough and \eta\approx2.4675 the positive root of X^{3}-X^{2}-2X-4. This covers all functions that grow uniformly faster than \exp(R^{\log2/\log\eta}). We also give a family of self-similar branched groups of growth ~\exp(R^\alpha) for a dense set of \alpha\in(\log2/\log\eta,1).Comment: small typos corrected from v

Growth behaviors in the range erαe^{r^\alpha}

For every $\alpha \leq \beta$ in a left neighborhood $[\alpha_0,1]$ of 1, a group $G(\alpha,\beta)$ is constructed, the growth function of which satisfies $\limsup \frac{\log \log b_{G(\alpha,\beta)}(r)}{\log r}=\alpha$ and $\liminf \frac{\log \log b_{G(\alpha,\beta)}(r)}{\log r}=\beta$. When $\alpha=\beta$, this provides an explicit uncountable collection of groups with growth functions strictly comparable. On the other hand, oscillation in the case $\alpha < \beta$ explains the existence of groups with non comparable growth functions. Some period exponents associated to the frequency of oscillation provide new group invariants.Comment: Final version to appear in Afrika Matematik

Branch Rings, Thinned Rings, Tree Enveloping Rings

We develop the theory of ``branch algebras'', which are infinite-dimensional associative algebras that are isomorphic, up to taking subrings of finite codimension, to a matrix ring over themselves. The main examples come from groups acting on trees. In particular, for every field k we construct a k-algebra K which (1) is finitely generated and infinite-dimensional, but has only finite-dimensional quotients; (2) has a subalgebra of finite codimension, isomorphic to $M_2(K)$; (3) is prime; (4) has quadratic growth, and therefore Gelfand-Kirillov dimension 2; (5) is recursively presented; (6) satisfies no identity; (7) contains a transcendental, invertible element; (8) is semiprimitive if k has characteristic $\neq2$; (9) is graded if k has characteristic 2; (10) is primitive if k is a non-algebraic extension of GF(2); (11) is graded nil and Jacobson radical if k is an algebraic extension of GF(2).Comment: 35 pages; small changes wrt previous versio