Surface groups among cubulated hyperbolic and one-relator groups

Henry Wilton

Published 2024-06-04Version 1

Let $X$ be a non-positively curved cube complex with hyperbolic fundamental group. We prove that $\pi_1(X)$ has a non-free subgroup of infinite index unless $\pi_1(X)$ is either free or a surface group, answering a question of Wise. A similar result for one-relator groups follows, answering a question posed by several authors. The proof relies on a careful analysis of free and cyclic splittings of cubulated groups.