Tutte polynomial of a fractal scale-free lattice

Abstract

The Tutte polynomial of a graph, or equivalently the $q$-state Potts model partition function, is a two-variable polynomial graph invariant of considerable importance in both combinatorics and statistical physics. The computation of this invariant for a graph is NP-hard in general. In this paper, based on their self-similar structures, we recursively describe the Tutte polynomials of an infinite family of scale-free lattices. Furthermore, we give some exact analytical expressions of the Tutte polynomial for several special points at $(X,Y)$-plane.