A note on the weak regularity of semigroup rings (Q1386723)

A ring \(R\) is said to be left (right) weakly regular if \(a\in R^1aR^1a\) (\(a\in aR^1aR^1\)) for all \(a\in R\), where \(R^1\) is the ring \(R\) with identity adjoined. Clearly a regular ring is weakly regular. A criterion for a group ring \(RG\) (\(G\) a group) to be regular (weakly regular) is known. In particular, in this case \(G\) must be periodic, and the periodicity of a semigroup \(S\) is necessary for a semigroup ring \(RS\) to be regular. But rather surprisingly it is not the case with the weak regularity. The author proves that, given a semigroup \(S\) and a field \(F\), there exists a semigroup \(T\) containing \(S\) as a subsemigroup and such that the semigroup algebra \(FT\) is weakly regular. This theorem also solves in the negative the problem posed by \textit{F. Li} [Semigroup Forum 48, No. 2, 152-162 (1994; Zbl 0815.16010)]: is the ring \(RG\) left weakly regular if \(G\) is a subgroup of a semigroup \(S\) with \(RS\) left weakly regular?