Simplicity of inverse semigroup and étale groupoid algebras (Q2227297)

A topological groupoid \(\mathcal{G}\) is called \(\acute{e}tale\) if its domain map \(d\) is a local homeomorphism, and \textit{ample} if its unit space \(\mathcal{G}^0\) is locally compact, Hausdorff and has a basis of compact open sets. Algebras of ample groupoids over arbitrary coefficient rings are called \textit{Steinberg algebras}. An \(\acute{e}tale\) groupoid is \textit{minimal} if all its orbits are dense in \(\mathcal{G}^0\) and it is \textit{effective} if the interior of the isotropy subgroupoid is \(\mathcal{G}^0\). The \textit{singular ideal} of a contracted inverse semigroup algebra \(K_0S\) consists of all elements \(a\in K_0S\) such that, for each non-zero idempotent \(e\in S\), there is a non-zero idempotent \(f\leq e\) with \(af=0\). The authors prove the following three main theorems: Theorem A. \textit{Let \(\mathcal{G}\) be an ample groupoid and \(K\) a field. Then the Steinberg algebra \(K\mathcal{G}\) is simple if and only if \(\mathcal{G}\) is minimal and effective and the ideal of singular functions vanishes}. Theorem B. \textit{Let \(S\) be an inverse semigroup with zero and \(K\) a field. Then the contracted inverse semigroup algebra \(K_0S\) is simple if and only if \(S\) is congruence-free and the singular ideal of \(K_0S\) vanishes}. Theorem C. \textit{Simplicity of the Steinberg algebra of an ample non-Hausdorff groupoid \(\mathcal{G}\) depends only on the characteristic of the ground field, that is, if \(K\mathcal{G}\) is simple for some field \(K\), then it is simple over any field with the same characteristic as \(K\). Moreover, the following hold: (1) if \(\mathcal{G}\) has a simple algebra over some field of positive characteristic, then it has a simple algebra over all fields of characteristic 0; (2) if \(\mathcal{P}\) is any set of primes, then there are a minimal and effective second countable ample groupoid and a countable congruence-free inverse semigroup whose algebras are simple over precisely those fields whose characteristic does not belong to \(\mathcal{P}\); (3) there are minimal and effective second countable ample groupoids whose algebras are not simple over any field and which are universal groupoids of an inverse semigroup; these ample groupoids also do not have a simple reduced \(C^*\)-algebra}. A number of examples is presented, including examples of congruence-free inverse semigroups with a strongly 0-disjunctive semilattice of idempotents whose contracted semigroup algebras are not simple over any field.