Automaton semigroups: new constructions results and examples of non-automaton semigroups (Q528468)

As the authors write in the introduction ``Automaton semigroups (that is, semigroups of endomorphisms of rooted trees generated by the actions of Mealy automata) emerged as a generalization of automaton groups\dots The topic of automaton groups has since developed into a substantial theory: see, for example, [\textit{V. Nekrashevych}, Self-similar groups. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2005; Zbl 1087.20032)]''. Furthermore, the authors note in the abstract that ``this paper studies the class of automaton semigroups from two perspectives: closure under constructions, and examples of semigroups that are not automaton semigroups.'' They prove that the free product of two finite semigroups is always an automaton semigroup. If \(S\) and \(T\) are automaton semigroups each containing at least one idempotent, then their free product \(S\star T\) is an automaton semigroup. Let \(S\) be an automaton monoid and \(T\) a finite monoid. Then, the wreath product \(S\wr T\) is an automaton monoid. The authors also consider the closure under certain kinds of Rees matrix constructions, strong semilattices, and small extensions. Finally, they prove that no subsemigroup of \(\mathbb{N}^0\) except the trivial subsemigroup \(\{ 0\}\) is an automaton semigroup. They also formulate some open problems.