On directed zero-divisor graphs of finite rings (Q2484371)

Let \(R\) denote a noncommutative ring, usually assumed to be finite. Let \(D_\ell\) and \(D_r\) denote respectively the sets of left and right zero divisors, and let \(D^*=(D_\ell\cup D_r)\setminus\{0\}\). The directed zero divisor graph \(\Gamma (R)\) has \(D^*\) as its vertex set; and for \(x,y\in D^*\) there is a directed edge from \(x\) to \(y\) if \(xy=0\). A vertex \(x\) is called a sink if its in-degree is positive and its out-degree is 0, and \(x\) is called a source if its in-degree is 0 and its out-degree is positive. Denote by Sink\((R)\) and Sour\((R)\) respectively the sets of all sinks and all sources. The paper presents a large number of elementary results with short proofs, under the section headings Connectedness and diameter; Sinks and sources of finite rings; Sink\((R)\), Sour\((R)\) and networks. Most of the results concern rings with proper one-sided identity or rings with \(|R|\geq 5\). For example, if \(|R|\geq 5\) the following hold: (i) If Sink\((R)\) (resp. Sour\((R))\) is not empty, it is a left (resp. right) cancellative semigroup; (ii) \(D^*\) is the disjoint union Sour\( (R)\cup \text{Sink}(R)\cup(D_\ell\cap D_r)\); (iii) If \(0<|\text{Sink} (R)|< \infty\), then Sour\((R)=\varnothing\); (iv) If \(R\) is finite with proper left identity elements, then \(|\text{Sink}(R)|\geq 2\).