A Survey of Strongly Clean Rings

Let R be an associative ring with identity. An element a∈R is called clean if a=e+u with e an idempotent and u a unit of R and a is called strongly clean if, in addition, eu=ue. A ring R is called clean if every element of R is clean and R is strongly clean if every element of R is strongly clean. In the paper [Nicholson and Zhou, Clean rings: a survey, Advances in Ring Theory, 181–198, World Sci. Pub., Hackensack, NJ, 2005], the authors brought out an up to date account of the results in the study of clean rings. Here, we give an account of the results on strongly clean rings.     

Classes of Almost Clean Rings

A ring is clean (almost clean) if each of its elements is the sum of a unit (regular element) and an idempotent. A module is clean (almost clean) if its endomorphism ring is clean (almost clean). We show that every quasi-continuous and nonsingular module is almost clean and that every right CS (i.e. right extending) and right nonsingular ring is almost clean. As a corollary, all right strongly semihereditary rings, including finite AW ^*-algebras and noetherian Leavitt path algebras in particular, are almost clean. We say that a ring R is special clean (special almost clean) if each element a can be decomposed as the sum of a unit (regular element) u and an idempotent e with aR?∩?eR?=?0. The Camillo-Khurana Theorem characterizes unit-regular rings as special clean rings. We prove an analogous theorem for abelian Rickart rings: an abelian ring is Rickart if and only if it is special almost clean. As a corollary, we show that a right quasi-continuous and right nonsingular ring is left and right Rickart. If a special (almost) clean decomposition is unique, we say that the ring is uniquely special (almost) clean. We show that (1) an abelian ring is unit-regular (equiv. special clean) if and only if it is uniquely special clean, and that (2) an abelian and right quasi-continuous ring is Rickart (equiv. special almost clean) if and only if it is uniquely special almost clean. Finally, we adapt some of our results to rings with involution: a *-ring is *-clean (almost *-clean) if each of its elements is the sum of a unit (regular element) and a projection (self-adjoint idempotent). A special (almost) *-clean ring is similarly defined by replacing “idempotent” with “projection” in the appropriate definition. We show that an abelian *-ring is a Rickart *-ring if and only if it is special almost *-clean, and that an abelian *-ring is *-regular if and only if it is special *-clean.     

Strongly Clean Property and Stable Range One of Some Rings

Let R be an associative ring with identity. An element a ∈ R is called clean if a = e + u with e an idempotent and u a unit of R, and a is called strongly clean if, in addition, eu = ue. A ring R is clean if every element of R is clean, and R is strongly clean if every element of R is strongly clean. When is a matrix ring over a strongly clean ring strongly clean? Does a strongly clean ring have stable range one? For these open questions, we prove that 𝕄 _n (C(X)) is strongly π-regular (hence, strongly clean) where C(X) is the ring of all real valued continuous functions on X with X a P-space; C(X) is clean iff it has stable range one; and a unital C*-algebra in which every unit element is self-adjoint is clean iff it has stable range one. The criteria for the ring of complex valued continuous functions C(X,?) to be strongly clean is given.     

Orders in regular rings with minimal condition for principal right ideals

ABSTRACT

A ring R is called an n-clean (resp. Σ-clean) ring if every element in R is n-clean (resp. Σ-clean). Clean rings are 1-clean and hence are Σ-clean. An example shows that there exists a 2-clean ring that is not clean. This shows that Σ-clean rings are a proper generalization of clean rings. The group ring ?_(p) G with G a cyclic group of order 3 is proved to be Σ-clean. The m× m matrix ring M _m (R) over an n-clean ring is n-clean, and the m×m (m>1) matrix ring M _m (R) over any ring is Σ-clean. Additionally, rings satisfying a weakly unit 1-stable range were introduced. Rings satisfying weakly unit 1-stable range are left-right symmetric and are generalizations of abelian π-regular rings, abelian clean rings, and rings satisfying unit 1-stable range. A ring R satisfies a weakly unit 1-stable range if and only if whenever a ₁ R + ˙˙˙ a _m R = dR, with m ≥ 2, a ₁,…, a _m, d ∈ R, there exist u ₁ ∈ U(R) and u ₂,…, u _m ∈ W(R) such that a ₁ u ₁ + ? a _m u _m = Rd.     

Reflexive rings and their extensions

A right ideal I is reflexive if xRy ∈ I implies yRx ∈ I for x, y ∈ R. We shall call a ring R a reflexive ring if aRb = 0 implies bRa = 0 for a, b ∈ R. We study the properties of reflexive rings and related concepts. We first consider basic extensions of reflexive rings. For a reduced iedal I of a ring R, if R/I is reflexive, we show that R is reflexive. We next discuss the reflexivity of some kinds of polynomial rings. For a quasi-Armendariz ring R, it is proved that R is reflexive if and only if R[x] is reflexive if and only if R[x; x ^?1] is reflexive. For a right Ore ring R with Q its classical right quotient ring, we show that if R is a reflexive ring then Q is also reflexive. Moreover, we characterize weakly reflexive rings which is a weak form of reflexive rings and investigate its properties. Examples are given to show that weakly reflexive rings need not be semicommutative. It is shown that if R is a semicommutative ring, then R[x] is weakly reflexive.     

EXTENSIONS OF CLEAN RINGS

It is shown that if e is an idempotent in a ring R such that both eRe and (1 ? e)R(1 ? e) are clean rings, then R is a clean ring. This implies that the matrix ring M _n (R) over a clean ring is clean, and it gives a quick proof that every semiperfect is clean. Other extensions of clean rings are studied, including group rings.     

Clean elements in abelian rings

Let R be a ring with identity. An element in R is said to be clean if it is the sum of a unit and an idempotent. R is said to be clean if all of its elements are clean. If every idempotent in R is central, then R is said to be abelian. In this paper we obtain some conditions equivalent to being clean in an abelian ring.     

Minimal But Inefficient Presentations for Self Semidirect Products of the Free Abelian Monoid on Two Generators

Let R be a ring and M(R) the set consisting of zero and primitive idempotents of R. We study the rings R for which M(R) is multiplicative. It is proved that if R has a complete finite set of primitive orthogonal idempotents, then R is a finite direct product of connected rings precisely when M(R) is multiplicative. We prove that if R is a (von Neumann) regular ring with M(R) multiplicative, then every primitive idempotent in R is central. It is also shown that this does not happen even in semihereditary and semiregular rings. Let R be an arbitrary ring with M(R) multiplicative and e ∈ R be a primitive idempotent, then for every unit u ∈ R, it is proved that eue is a unit in eRe. We also prove that if M(R) is multiplicative, then two primitive idempotents e and f in R are conjugates, i.e., f = ueu ^?1 for some u ∈ U(R), if and only if ef ≠ 0.     

A Note on Strongly Clean Matrix Rings

Let R be an associative ring with identity. An element a ∈ R is called strongly clean if a = e + u with e ² = e ∈ R, u a unit of R, and eu = ue. A ring R is called strongly clean if every element of R is strongly clean. Strongly clean rings were introduced by Nicholson [7 Nicholson , W. K. ( 1999 ). Strongly clean rings and Fitting's lemma . Comm. Algebra 27 : 3583 – 3592 .[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. It is unknown yet when a matrix ring over a strongly clean ring is strongly clean. Several articles discussed this topic when R is local or strongly π-regular. In this note, necessary conditions for the matrix ring 𝕄 _n (R) (n > 1) over an arbitrary ring R to be strongly clean are given, and the strongly clean property of 𝕄₂(RC ₂) over the group ring RC ₂ with R local is obtained.     

On Strongly Stable Rings

Abstract

A ring R is called strongly stable if whenever aR + bR = R, there exists a w ∈ Q(R) such that a + bw ∈ U(R), where Q(R) = {x ∈ R ∣ ? e ? e ² ∈ J(R), u ∈ U(R) such that x = eu}. These rings are shown to be a natural generalization of semilocal rings and unit regular rings. We investigate the extensions of strongly stable rings. K ₁-groups of such rings are also studied. In this way we recover and extend some results of Menal and Moncasi.     

A CHARACTERIZATION OF UNIT REGULAR RINGS

It is proved that a ring R is unit regular if and only if every element a of R can be written as e + u such that aR ∩ eR = 0, where e is an idempotent and u a unit in R.     

Morphic rings and unit regular rings

A ring R is called left morphic if for every a∈R. A left and right morphic ring is called a morphic ring. If M_n(R) is morphic for all n≥1 then R is called a strongly morphic ring. A well-known result of Erlich says that a ring R is unit regular iff it is both (von Neumann) regular and left morphic. A new connection between morphic rings and unit regular rings is proved here: a ring R is unit regular iff R[x]/(xⁿ) is strongly morphic for all n≥1 iff R[x]/(x²) is morphic. Various new families of left morphic or strongly morphic rings are constructed as extensions of unit regular rings and of principal ideal domains. This places some known examples in a broader context and answers some existing questions.     

A note on strongly π-regular rings

Let R be an associative ring with unit and let N(R) denote the set of nilpotent elements of R. R is said to be stronglyπ-regular if for each x∈R, there exist a positive integer n and an element y∈R such that x ⁿ=x ^{n +1} y and xy=yx. R is said to be periodic if for each x∈R there are integers m,n≥ 1 such that m≠n and x ^m=x ⁿ. Assume that the idempotents in R are central. It is shown in this paper that R is a strongly π-regular ring if and only if N(R) coincides with the Jacobson radical of R and R/N(R) is regular. Some similar conditions for periodic rings are also obtained. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Weakly regular rings with ACC on annihilators and maximality of strongly prime ideals of weakly regular rings

Ramamurthi proved that weak regularity is equivalent to regularity and biregularity for left Artinian rings. We observe this result under a generalized condition. For a ring R satisfying the ACC on right annihilators, we actually prove that if R is left weakly regular then R is biregular, and that R is left weakly regular if and only if R is a direct sum of a finite number of simple rings. Next we study maximality of strongly prime ideals, showing that a reduced ring R is weakly regular if and only if R is left weakly regular if and only if R is left weakly π-regular if and only if every strongly prime ideal of R is maximal.     

Certain decompositions of matrices over Abelian rings

A ring R is (weakly) nil clean provided that every element in R is the sum of a (weak) idempotent and a nilpotent. We characterize nil and weakly nil matrix rings over abelian rings. Let R be abelian, and let n ∈ ?. We prove that M ⁿ (R) is nil clean if and only if R/J(R) is Boolean and M _n (J(R)) is nil. Furthermore, we prove that R is weakly nil clean if and only if R is periodic; R/J(R) is ?₃, B or ?₃ ⊕ B where B is a Boolean ring, and that M _n (R) is weakly nil clean if and only if M _n (R) is nil clean for all n ≥ 2.     

Clean unital ℓ-groups

A ring with identity is said to be clean if every element can be written as a sum of a unit and an idempotent. The study of clean rings has been at the forefront of ring theory over the past decade. The theory of partially-ordered groups has a nice and long history and since there are several ways of relating a ring to a (unital) partially-ordered group it became apparent that there ought to be a notion of a clean partially-ordered group. In this article we define a clean unital lattice-ordered group; we state and prove a theorem which characterizes clean unital ?-groups. We mention the relationship of clean unital ?-groups to algebraic K-theory. In the last section of the article we generalize the notion of clean to the non-unital context and investigate this concept within the framework of W-objects, that is, archimedean ?-groups with distinguished weak order unit.     

Some Characterizations of VNL Rings

A ring R is said to be von Newmann local (VNL) if for any a ∈ R, either a or 1 ?a is (von Neumann) regular. The class of VNL rings lies properly between exchange rings and (von Neumann) regular rings. We characterize abelian VNL rings. We also characterize and classify arbitrary VNL rings without an infinite set of orthogonal idempotents; and also the VNL rings having a primitive idempotent e such that eRe is not a division ring. We prove that a semiperfect ring R is VNL if and only if for any right uni-modular row (a ₁, a ₂) ∈ R ², one of the a _i 's is regular in R. Formal triangular matrix rings that are VNL are also characterized. As a corollary, it is shown that an upper triangular matrix ring T _n (R) is VNL if and only if n = 2 or 3 and R is a division ring.     

Central semicommutative rings

A ring R is central semicommutative if ab = 0 implies that aRb ? Z(R) for any a, b ∈ R. Since every semicommutative ring is central semicommutative, we study sufficient condition for central semicommutative rings to be semicommutative. We prove that some results of semicommutative rings can be extended to central semicommutative rings for this general settings, in particular, it is shown that every central semicommutative ring is nil-semicommutative. We show that the class of central semicommutative rings lies strictly between classes of semicommutative rings and abelian rings. For an Armendariz ring R, we prove that R is central semicommutative if and only if the polynomial ring R[x] is central semicommutative. Moreover, for a central semicommutative ring R, it is proven that (1) R is strongly regular if and only if R is a left GP-V′-ring whose maximal essential left ideals are GW-ideals if and only if R is a left GP-V′-ring whose maximal essential right ideals are GW-ideals. (2) If R is a left SF and central semicommutative ring, then R is a strongly regular ring.     

On commutative rings which are strongly prüfer

Abstract

As defined by Nicholson [Nicholson, W. K. (1977). Lifting idempotents and exchange rings. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 229:269–278] an element of a ring R is clean if it is the sum of a unit and an idempotent, and a subset A of R is clean if every element of A is clean. It is shown that a semiprimitive Gelfand ring R is clean if and only if Max(R) is zero-dimensional; if and only if for each M ∈ Max(R), the intersection all prime ideals contained in M is generated by a set of idempotents. We also give several equivalent conditions for clean functional rings. In fact, a functional ring R is clean if and only if the set of clean elements is closed under sum; if and only if every zero-divisor is clean; if and only if; R has a clean prime ideal.