Matrix subrings having finite global dimension (Q1090401)

The authors calculate bounds for the global dimensions of certain 'tiled triangular rings' over a ring R. A tiled triangular ring \(\Phi\) is a subring of \(M_ n(R)\) with (i,j) entry from a suitable ideal \(I_{ij}\), where \(I_{ij}=R\) for \(i\geq j\). An interesting theorem proved here is that \(rgl.\dim (\Phi)<\infty\) if and only if \(rgl.\dim (R)<\infty\) and \(rgl.\dim (R/I_{i,i+1})<\infty\) for \(i=1,...,n-1\). In certain cases exact values are calculated: for example, if for each column the ideals \(I_{ij}\) above the diagonal are all equal then \[ rgl.\dim (\Phi)=\sup \{rgl.\dim (R),\quad rgl.\dim (I_{ij})+1\}. \] Bounds on left global dimension can sometimes be obtained. Fossum, Griffith and Reiten have constructed PI rings such that lgl.dim(S)-\(rgl.\dim (S)=m\) for any preassigned integer \(m\geq 2\). The authors use their results to produce such examples where S is also prime. They also construct an affine prime PI ring with right and left global dimensions differing by one (this is the greatest difference possible).