Isomorphism problem of power semigroups of completely 0-simple semigroups (Q1065940)

Let S be a semigroup. The power semigroup of S, denoted by \({\mathcal P}(S)\), is defined to be the family of all nonempty subsets of S with the operation defined by \(AB=\{ab:\) \(a\in A\), \(b\in B\) (A,B\(\in {\mathcal P}(S)\}\). If \({\mathcal P}(S_ 1)\simeq {\mathcal P}(S_ 2)\) it is not necessarily true that \(S_ 1\simeq S_ 2\). The author proves that if \(S_ 1\) and \(S_ 2\) are completely 0-simple semigroups then isomorphism of their power semigroups does imply that \(S_ 1\simeq S_ 2.\) The proof is very difficult, and proceeds by introducing two concepts, invariant under isomorphism, of a 0-minimal ideal of \({\mathcal P}(S)\) and a maximal ideal of (\({\mathcal P}(S))^ 4\). The combinatorial homomorphic images and the left and right reductive homomorphic images play an important part. The corresponding results for completely simple semigroups can be recovered from the general discussion, or can be obtained directly.