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How does one show that the projections in the [CAR algebra][1] do not form a complete lattice?

Background info: my paper with Scholz [2] paper works in the (infinite) CAR algebra and tries to define algorithmic randomness for its states. The analogs of effectively open sets are certain increasing sequences of projections $p_n\in M_{2^n}$, and we wondered whether their supremum exists in the algebra.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCR_and_CAR_algebras

[2] Martin-Löf random quantum states. With Volkher Scholz. Submitted, arXiv: 1709.08422

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  • $\begingroup$ Related: mathoverflow.net/questions/133022/… $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 22, 2019 at 7:27
  • $\begingroup$ A finite-dimensional CAR algebra is isomorphic to $M_{2^n}$, and therefore does have a complete projection lattice, so the question you really want is for an infinite-dimensional CAR algebra. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 23, 2019 at 13:18

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As expressed in my comment, the finite-dimensional CAR algebras do have a complete projection lattice. Here I outline the proof that the CAR algebra with countably many degrees of freedom (equivalently, the CAR algebra of a separable Hilbert space) does not have a complete lattice of projections. The short summary is that $A$ is separable, but if it had a complete projection lattice, it would embed $\ell^\infty$, which is not (norm) separable.

I will take for granted the isomorphism with the infinite tensor product $A \cong M_2^{\otimes \infty}$. This is described in Takesaki's Theory of Operator Algebras III, Exercise XIV.1. This is a separable C$^*$-algebra -- the set of elements of $A$ that are finite sums of elements of the form $a_1 \otimes a_2 \otimes \cdots \otimes a_n \otimes 1 \otimes \cdots$ where $a_i$ are matrices with rational entries is a countable dense subset.

Now, $A$ also has a subalgebra isomorphic to $C(2^\omega)$, under the isomorphism $C(2^\omega) \cong (\mathbb{C}^2)^{\otimes \infty}$. We can find a countably infinite family of disjoint projections $(p_i)_{i \in \mathbb{N}}$ with supremum 1 in $A$ by taking a countably infinite family of disjoint clopen sets $(C_i)_{i \in \mathbb{N}}$ whose join is $1$ in $2^\omega$, and taking $p_i$ to be the image of $\chi_{C_i}$ in $A$ under the aforementioned isomorphism. One example of such a family of clopens we could use is $$ C_i = \{ f \in 2^\omega \mid f(i) = 1 \text{ and } \forall j < i . f(j) = 0 \}, $$ i.e. $C_i$ is the set of sequences whose first 1 is at index $i$.

Now suppose for a contradiction that the projection lattice of $A$, which we write as $\newcommand{\Proj}{\mathrm{Proj}}\Proj(A)$, is a complete lattice. It follows from a simple calculation that $\Proj(A)$ is an orthomodular lattice. Define $\newcommand{\N}{\mathbb{N}}\newcommand{\powerset}{\mathcal{P}} g : \powerset(\N) \rightarrow \Proj(A)$ by $g(S) = \bigvee_{i \in S} p_i$. By construction this preserves joins, and it also preserves complements (essentially because the join of $(p_i)_i$ is $1$), so is a complete homomorphism of orthomodular lattices. Therefore, by extending $g$ to simple functions in $\ell^\infty$ and then by continuity, there is a *-homomorphism $f : \ell^\infty \rightarrow A$ that restricts to $g$ on projections.

If there were an $a \in \ell^\infty$ such that $a \neq 0 $ and $f(a) = 0$, then $f(a^*a) = 0$ as well, so without loss of generality we can take $a$ to be positive. As $a \neq 0$, there exists $x \in \N$ such that $a(x) > 0$. Then $f(a(x)\chi_{\{x\}}) \leq f(a) = 0$, so $0 = f(\chi_{\{x\}}) = g(x) = p_x$, but this contradicts the definition of the family $(p_i)_{i \in \N}$. So $f$ is injective, and therefore embeds $\ell^\infty$ as a C$^*$-subalgebra of $A$. But then we have a contradiction, because $A$ is norm-separable, but $\ell^\infty$ is not.

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  • $\begingroup$ Hi Robert, many thanks. I understood what you are doing, though not quite what the algebra $𝐶(2^\omega)$ is. If I get it right, the following sequence (q_n) of projections in M_{2^n} has no supremum: q_n projects onto the subspace spanned by the canonical base vectors given by strings of length n that contain a 1. $\endgroup$
    – Andre Nies
    Commented Jun 26, 2019 at 9:14
  • $\begingroup$ @AndreNies $2^\omega$ is the set of functions from $\omega$ (equivalently, the natural numbers) to $2$, equipped with the product topology, a.k.a. the Cantor space. $C(2^\omega)$ is the usual commutative C$^*$-algebra of continuous $\mathbb{C}$-valued functions on this space. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 26, 2019 at 14:29
  • $\begingroup$ @AndreNies In this way it is not difficult to get a family of projections $(p_i)_{i \in \mathbb{N}}$ having no supremum in $(\mathbb{C}^2)^\infty$, and it can be expressed in terms of subspaces spanned by basis vectors. With a bit more knowledge of C$^*$-algebras, it seems likely that it is possible to show that such a family has no supremum in the projections CAR algebra itself, but I couldn't see how to do this. That's why I reasoned by contradiction based on separability instead. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 26, 2019 at 21:35
  • $\begingroup$ As an aside, I feel compelled to mention that given a particular state $\rho$ of $A$, you can take the bicommutant $A''$ in the GNS representation of $A$ coming from $\rho$, and as $A''$ is a von Neumann algebra, its projection lattice is complete. If $A$ is the noncommutative analogue of $C(2^\omega)$, then $A''$ is the noncommutative analogue of $L^\infty(2^\omega)$ (with the state playing the role of a measure). $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 26, 2019 at 21:57
  • $\begingroup$ Sounds good, thanks! This should really be known as an example in some C* algebras book when they do AF algebras. Yes, we are aware that things look better in the enveloping vN algebra, in this case the vN hyperfinite $II_1$ factor R. $\endgroup$
    – Andre Nies
    Commented Jun 28, 2019 at 9:07

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