Semigroups which have a minimum primitive inverse congruence (Q1849637)

Let \(S\) be a semigroup with zero. Then \(S\) is called categorical, if for all \(a,b,c\in S\), if \(abc=0\) then \(ab=0\) or \(bc=0\); \(S\) is \(E^*\)-dense if for every \(a\in S\setminus 0\) there exists \(x\in S\) such that \(ax\in E(S)\setminus 0\); \(S\) is an \(E\)-semigroup if \(E(S)\) forms a subsemigroup of \(S\). A congruence \(\rho\) on \(S\) is called primitive inverse of \((S/\rho,\cdot)\) is a primitive inverse semigroup (i.e., every nonzero idempotent covers \(0\) in the natural partial order). Results of \textit{J. Fountain} and \textit{G. M. S. Gomes} [Proc. Edinb. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 43, No. 2, 395-413 (2000; Zbl 0952.20046)] and \textit{J. Fountain}, \textit{J. E. Pin} and \textit{P. Weil} [``Covers for monoids'' (to appear)] are sharpened or generalized. They are used to give necessary and sufficient conditions for a categorical semigroup having a primitive inverse congruence to admit a least such congruence. A description of the least \(0\)-restricted primitive inverse congruence on a categorical \(E^*\)-dense \(E\)-semigroup is given: \(a\sigma b\) if and only if \(a=b=0\) or \(W(a)\cap W(b)\neq\{0\}\), where \(W(a)=\{x\in S\mid x=xax\}\). In the particular case that the idempotents of \(S\) commute, it is shown that: \(a\sigma b\) if and only if \(a=b=0\) or \(ea=eb\neq 0\) for some \(e\in E(S)\).