Improved bounds for the Erdős-Rogers function

Ramsey’s Theorem is one of the most prominent results in graph theory. In its simplest form, it asserts that every sufficiently large two-edge-colored complete graph contains a large monochromatic complete subgraph. This theorem has been generalized to a plethora of statements asserting that every sufficiently large structure of a given kind contains a large “tame” substructure.

The article concerns a closely related problem: for a structure with a given property, find a substructure possessing an even stronger property. For example, what is the largest $K_3$-free induced subgraph of an $n$-vertex $K_4$-free graph? The answer to this question is approximately $n^{1/2}$. The lower bound is easy. If a given graph has a vertex of degree at least $n^{1/2}$, then its neighbors induce a $K_3$-free subgraph with at least $n^{1/2}$ vertices. Otherwise, a greedy procedure yields an independent set of size almost $n^{1/2}$. The argument generalizes to $K_s$-free induced subgraphs of $K_{s+1}$-free graphs. Dudek, Retter and Rödl provided a construction showing that the exponent 1/2 cannot be improved and asked whether it is the correct exponent in the case of $K_{s}$-free induced subgraphs of $K_{s+2}$-free graphs as well. The authors answer this question in the negative by providing a construction of $K_{s+2}$-free $n$-vertex graphs with no $K_s$-free induced subgraph with $n^{\alpha_s}$ vertices with $\alpha_s<1/2$ for every $s\ge 3$. Their arguments extend to the case of $K_t$-free graphs with no large $K_s$-free induced subgraph for $s+2\le t\le 2s-1$ and $s\ge 3$.