The free Grothendieck theorem

Abstract

The main result of this article establishes the free analog of Grothendieck's Theorem on bijective polynomial mappings of $\mathbb{C}^g$. Namely, we show if $p$ is a polynomial mapping in $g$ freely non-commuting variables sending $g$-tuples of matrices (of the same size) to $g$-tuple of matrices (of the same size) that is injective, then it has a free polynomial inverse. Other results include an algorithm that tests if a free polynomial mapping $p$ has a polynomial inverse (equivalently is injective; equivalently is bijective). Further, a class of free algebraic functions, called hyporational, lying strictly between the free rational functions and the free algebraic functions are identified. They play a significant role in the proof of the main result.