Khovanov homology from Floer cohomology

Abstract

This paper realises the Khovanov homology of a link in the 3-sphere as a Lagrangian Floer cohomology group, establishing a conjecture of Seidel and the second author. The starting point is the previously established formality theorem for the symplectic arc algebra over a field k of characteristic zero. Here we prove the symplectic cup and cap bimodules which relate different symplectic arc algebras are themselves formal over k, and construct a long exact triangle for symplectic Khovanov cohomology. We then prove the symplectic and combinatorial arc algebras are isomorphic over the integers in a manner compatible with the cup bimodules. It follows that Khovanov homology and symplectic Khovanov cohomology co-incide in characteristic zero.