Ring C\(^*\)-algebras (Q711572)

The theory of ring \(C^*\)-algebras was initiated in [\textit{J.\,Cuntz}, ``\(C^*\)-algebras associated with the \(ax+b\)-semigroup over \(\mathbb N\)'', EMS Series of Congress Reports, Zürich, 201--215 (2008; Zbl 1162.46036)], where Cuntz constructed the very first example of a ring \(C^*\)-algebra which is associated with the ring \(\mathbb{Z}\) of all integers. The author constructs reduced and full ring \(C^*\)-algebras for general rings and studies the inner structure of these ring \(C^*\)-algebras. Conditions for them to be purely infinite and simple are obtained and several examples are given. The author obtains crossed product descriptions for the full ring \(C^*\)-algebras and shows that the construction generalizes the one in [\textit{J.\,Cuntz} and \textit{X.\,Li}, ``The regular \(C^*\)-algebra of an integral domain'', in: Proceedings of the Conference in Honor of A.\,Connes' 60th birthday (to appear), \url{arXiv:0807.1407})] in a very satisfactory way. The problem of zero-divisors is discussed. The author studies ring \(C^*\)-algebras for commutative rings in details and gives conditions that ring \(C^*\)-algebras associated with commutative rings are purely infinite and simple. The author describes the ring \(C^*\)-algebras as full corners in ordinary crossed products.