Fully idempotent and coidempotent modules (Q2249201)

In this paper, a submodule \(N\) of an \(R\)-module \(M\) is said to be idempotent if \(N=N^2\). This definition is shown to be equivalent to the notion of idempotent modules as defined by \textit{M. M. Ali} and \textit{D. J. Smith} [Beitr. Algebra Geom. 45, No. 1, 61--74 (2004; Zbl 1097.13014)] and it implies the notion of idempotent modules as defined by \textit{J. Clark} et al. [Lifting modules. Supplements and projectivity in module theory. Basel: Birkhäuser (2006; Zbl 1102.16001)]. A module \(M\) is called fully idempotent if every submodule of \(M\) is idempotent. Properties of fully idempotent modules are studied and relations with other known types of modules are established, for example any fully idempotent module is shown to be Von Neumann regular, while the converse is true if \(M\) is a multiplication module. Fully idempotent modules are also shown to be fully pure, i.e. every submodule is pure (where purity here means \(IN=N \cap IM\) for all ideals \(I\) of \(R\)). The product of two submodules \(N\) and \(K\) of an \(R\)-module \(M\) is denoted by \(NK\) and defined as \(NK=(N:_{R}M)(K:_{R}M)M\), while the coproduct of \(N\) and \(K\) is defined as \(C(NK)=(0:_{R}\mathrm{Ann}_{R}(N)\mathrm{Ann}_{R}(K))\). A dual notion of fully idempotent modules is defined as follows: A submodule \(N\) of \(M\) is called coidempotent if \(N=C(N^{2})\) and \(M\) is said to be fully coidempotent if every submodule of \(M\) is coidempotent. Properties of fully coidempotent modules are studied. Some sample results in this regard: (i) Noetherian fully idempotent modules and comultiplication modules over a Von Neumann regular ring are fully coidempotent. (ii) Fully idempotent \(R\)-modules are Hopfian. (iii) If \(R\) is a domain and \(M\) is a faithful fully idempotent \(R\)-module, then \(M\) is simple. Relationships between the concepts of coidempotent modules and copure modules are also studied.