Graph braid groups and right-angled Artin groups

Abstract

We give a necessary and sufficient condition for a graph to have a right-angled Artin group as its braid group for braid index $\ge 5$. In order to have the necessity part, graphs are organized into small classes so that one of homological or cohomological characteristics of right-angled Artin groups can be applied. Finally we show that a given graph is planar iff the first homology of its 2-braid group is torsion-free and leave the corresponding statement for $n$-braid groups as a conjecture along with few other conjectures about graphs whose braid groups of index $\le 4$ are right-angled Artin groups.