Antidirected paths in oriented graphs

Abstract

We show that for any integer $k\ge 4$, every oriented graph with minimum semidegree bigger than $\frac{1}{2}(k-1+\sqrt{k-3})$ contains an antidirected path of length $k$. Consequently, every oriented graph on $n$ vertices with more than $(k-1+\sqrt{k-3})n$ edges contains an antidirected path of length $k$. This asymptotically proves the antidirected path version of a conjecture of Stein and of a conjecture of Addario-Berry, Havet, Linhares Sales, Reed and Thomassé, respectively.