Subgroups of free idempotent generated semigroups need not be free.

Abstract: We use topological methods to study the maximal subgroups of the free idempotent generated semigroup on a biordered set. We use these to give an example of a free idempotent generated semigroup with maximal subgroup isomorphic to the free abelian group of rank 2. This is the first example of a non-free subgroup of a free idempotent generated semigroup.

Review text

On the set \(E(S)\) of idempotents of a (regular) semigroup \(S\) partial orders \(\omega^r\), \(\omega^l\) are defined by \(e\omega^rf\) iff \(e=fe\) and \(e\omega^lf\) iff \(e=ef\), \(e,f\in E(S)\); abstract characterization of the partial algebra \(E(S)\) with these order relations and multiplication restricted only to pairs belonging to these relations is called (regular) biordered set [\textit{K. S. S. Nambooripad}, Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 224 (1979; Zbl 0457.20051)]. For an arbitrary biordered set \(E\) there is a free object \(IG(E)\) in the category of idempotent generated semigroups with biordered set \(E\). Here are investigated maximal subgroups of \(IG(E)\) and presented example of a non-free maximal subgroup in free idempotent generated semigroup over a finite regular biordered set.

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