Taft algebras acting on associative algebras. (Q479750)

Let \(H\) be the Taft Hopf algebra generated by a group-like element \(y\) and a \(y\)-skew-primitive element \(x\) with \(y^n=1\), \(x^n=0\) and \(xy=qyx\), \(q\) a primitive \(n\)-th root of unity. The author considers actions of \(H\) on an algebra \(R\), i.e., \(y\) acts as an automorphism of \(R\) and \(x\) acts as a \(y\)-skew derivation of \(R\). The \(H\)-invariants \(R^H\) of \(R\) are the elements \(r\) with \(yr=r\) and \(xr=0\). The first results concern when various \(H\)-stable subalgebras of \(R\) contain nonzero invariants. Sufficient conditions are given in three cases: (1) \(R\) is semiprime; (2) The subalgebra \(R^x\) of \(x\)-invariants is semiprime; (3) \(R\) is reduced. The next results give necessary and sufficient conditions for the smash products \(R\#H\) to be semiprime, namely that \(R^x\) is semiprime and \(xL\) is not 0 for every nonzero left ideal \(L\) of \(R\). These conditions are weakened in four cases: (1) \(R\) is semiprime; (2) \(R\) is prime; (3) \(R\) is reduced; (4) \(R\) is a domain. Next the author considers the case that \(R\) is a field \(K\) with \(xK\) not 0. He shows that \(K\) is an \(n\)-dimensional vector space over \(K^H\) and that \(K\#H\) is isomorphic to a direct sum of \(n\) copies of the \(n\) by \(n\) matrices over \(K^H\). Finally he gives necessary and sufficient conditions for \(R\#H\) to be prime. The conditions involve a certain left integral in \(H\) and variations of it, called pseudo-traces. These conditions are weakened in the case that \(R\) is reduced, and further weakened when \(R\) is a domain.