Diameters of Cayley graphs of SL_n(Z/kZ)
arXiv:math/0502221
Abstract
We show that for integers k > 1 and n > 2, the diameter of the Cayley graph of SL_n(Z/kZ) associated to a standard two-element generating set, is at most a constant times n^2 ln k. This answers a question of A. Lubotzky concerning SL_n(F_p) and is unexpected because these Cayley graphs do not form an expander family. Our proof amounts to a quick algorithm for finding short words representing elements of SL_n(Z/kZ).
11 pages, no figures