Mod 2 instanton homology and 4-manifolds with boundary

Abstract

Using instanton homology with coefficients in $Z/2$ we construct a homomorphism $q_2$ from the homology cobordism group in dimension 3 to the integers which is not a rational linear combination of the instanton $h$--invariant and the Heegaard Floer correction term $d$. If an oriented homology $3$--sphere $Y$ bounds a smooth, compact, negative definite $4$--manifold without $2$--torsion in its homology then $q_2(Y)\ge0$, with strict inequality if the intersection form is non-standard.