Differential graded cell 2-representations

Abstract

This article develops a theory of cell combinatorics and cell 2-representations for differential graded 2-categories. We introduce two types of partial preorders, called the strong and weak preorder. We then analyse and compare them. The weak preorder is more easily tractable, while the strong preorder is more closely related to the combinatorics of the associated homotopy 2-representations. To each left cell, we associate a maximal ideal spectrum, and each maximal ideal gives rise to a differential graded cell 2-representation. We prove that any strong cell is contained in a weak cell and that there is a bijection between the corresponding maximal ideal spectra. Finally, we classify weak and strong cell 2-representations for dg 2-categories of projective bimodules over finite-dimensional differential graded algebras.