A note on reductive semigroups. (Q1769327)

A semigroup \(S\) is right (left) reductive if for any \(a,b\in S\), \(at=bt\) (\(ta=tb\)) for all \(t\in S\) implies \(a=b\). It is shown that a regular semigroup \(S\) is right (left) reductive if and only if \(\rho_r\subseteq {\mathcal L}\) (\(\rho_\ell\subseteq{\mathcal R}\)), where \(a\rho_rb\) (\(a\rho_\ell b\)) \(\Leftrightarrow at=bt\) (\(ta=tb\)) for all \(t\in S\). It follows that a regular semigroup has this property if and only if the congruence \(\rho_r\) (resp. \(\rho_\ell\)) is idempotent-separating. (Corollary 2.3 and 2.4 are known; Corollary 2.5 is part of Theorem V.3.14 in \textit{M. Petrich}'s book [Introduction to semigroups (Merrill Research and Lecture Series, Columbus, Ohio: C. E. Merrill Publishing Company) (1973; Zbl 0321.20037)]). Also it is shown that the class of all right (left) reductive semigroups is closed under subdirect products, but not under homomorphic images.