Gorenstein triangular matrix rings and category algebras. (Q888842)

Let \(R\) be a ring with unit. The ring \(R\) is said to be (\(m\)-)Gorenstein if \(R\) has both sides (\(\leq m\)) finite injective dimension. If \(\Gamma=\left(\begin{smallmatrix} R_1& M_{12}\\ 0&R_2\end{smallmatrix}\right)\) is a triangular matrix ring, it is shown that if \(\Gamma\) is \(m\)-Gorenstein both \(R_1\), \(R_2\) are so and, moreover, when \(m\geq 1\), projective dimension of the left \(R_1\)-module \(M_{12}\) is less or equal to \(m-1\). If \(R_1\) and \(R_2\) are \(d_1\)-Gorenstein and \(d_2\)-Gorenstein, respectively, and \(M_{12}\) is finitely generated projective both sides, then \(\Gamma\) is either \(d_1+d_2\)-Gorenstein if \(d_1\neq d_2\) or \(d_1+1\)-Gorenstein if \(d_1=d_2\). The second part of the paper applies these results to free EI categories. Let \(k\) be a field and \(\mathcal C\) be a finite category, i.e. with a finite number of morphisms. To any finite category \(\mathcal C\), a category algebra \(k\mathcal C\) and modules over this algebra are associated. A finite EI category is a finite category such that all endomorphisms are isomorphisms. If \(\{x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n\}\) are the objects of \(\mathcal C\) and \(\Hom_{\mathcal C}(x_i,x_j)=\emptyset \) when \(i<j\), then \(k\mathcal C\) is isomorphic to an upper triangular matrix algebra where all the diagonal rings \(R_i=\Hom_{\mathcal C}(x_i,x_i)\) are group algebras. Following \textit{L. Li} [J. Algebra 345, No. 1, 213-241 (2011; Zbl 1239.18014)], a finite EI category \(\mathcal C\) is free if it satisfies the unique factorization property, i.e. whenever any morphism \(\alpha\) has two decompositions \(\alpha=\alpha_1\circ\cdots\circ\alpha_n=\beta_1\circ\cdots\circ\beta_m\) then \(n=m\) and there are automorphisms \(g_i\) such that \(\beta_1=g_1\alpha_1\); \(\beta_ig_{i-1}=\alpha_ig_i\), for \(2\leq i\leq n-1\); \(\beta_ng_{n-1}=\alpha_m\). The main result establishes that the category \(k\mathcal C\)-algebra associated to finite EI category with \(\Hom_{\mathcal C}(x_i,x_j)=\emptyset\) when \(i<j\), is 1-Gorenstein if and only if \(\mathcal C\) is a free EI category and projective over \(k\) (i.e. \(k\Hom_{\mathcal C}(x_i,x_j)\) is projective over \(R_i\) and over \(R_j\)).