Classification of non-solvable groups whose power graph is a cograph

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Abstract In recent work, Cameron, Manna and Mehatari have studied the finite groups whose power graph is a cograph, which we refer to as power-cograph groups. They classify the nilpotent groups with this property, and they establish partial results in the general setting, highlighting certain number-theoretic difficulties that arise for the simple groups of the form PSL 2 ⁡ ( q ) \operatorname{PSL}_{2}(q) or Sz ⁡ ( 2 2 ⁢ e + 1 ) \operatorname{Sz}(2^{2e+1}) . In this paper, we prove that these number-theoretic problems are in fact the only obstacles to the classification of non-solvable power-cograph groups. Specifically, for the non-solvable case, we give a classification of power-cograph groups in terms of such groups isomorphic to PSL 2 ⁡ ( q ) \operatorname{PSL}_{2}(q) or Sz ⁡ ( 2 2 ⁢ e + 1 ) \operatorname{Sz}(2^{2e+1}) . For the solvable case, we are able to precisely describe the structure of solvable power-cograph groups. We obtain a complete classification of solvable power-cograph groups whose Gruenberg–Kegel graph is connected. Moreover, we reduce the case where the Gruenberg–Kegel graph is disconnected to the classification of 𝑝-groups admitting fixed-point-free automorphisms of prime power order, which is in general an open problem.