The pillowcase and traceless representations of knot groups II: a Lagrangian-Floer theory in the pillowcase

Matthew Hedden, Christopher M. Herald, Paul Kirk

Published 2014-12-30Version 1

We define an elementary relatively $\mathbb Z/4$ graded Lagrangian-Floer chain complex for restricted immersions of compact 1-manifolds into the pillowcase, and apply it to the intersection diagram obtained by taking traceless $SU(2)$ character varieties of 2-tangle decompositions of knots. Calculations for torus knots are explained in terms of pictures in the punctured plane. The relation to the reduced instanton homology of knots is explored.