Dimension is polynomial in height for posets with planar cover graphs

Abstract

We show that height $h$ posets that have planar cover graphs have dimension $\mathcal{O}(h^6)$. Previously, the best upper bound was $2^{\mathcal{O}(h^3)}$. Planarity plays a key role in our arguments, since there are posets such that (1) dimension is exponential in height and (2) the cover graph excludes $K_5$ as a minor.