Discrete valuation ring

A discrete valuation ring is a principal ideal domain with exactly one nonzero maximal ideal. Every nonzero element of its fraction field is a unit times a unique integer power of a uniformizer.

A complete discrete valuation ring is a discrete valuation ring complete for its maximal-ideal-adic topology. Equivalently, the canonical map to the inverse limit of the residue rings is an isomorphism: compatible residue classes determine a Cauchy sequence, and completeness gives its unique limit. Standard examples are ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ and $k[[t]]$. This completeness is the hypothesis that makes Newton iteration over a valued field converge in the ring in the usual Hensel lemma.

A discrete valuation on a field $K$ is a surjective group homomorphism $v:K^{\times }\to \mathbb{Z}$ satisfying $v(x+y)\ge \min (v(x),v(y))$ whenever $x+y\ne 0$. Its valuation ring is $\{0\}\cup \{x:v(x)\ge 0\}$.

A discretely valued field is a field equipped with a discrete valuation. It is complete when every Cauchy sequence for the induced metric converges.

The value group of a valued field is the ordered abelian group formed by the values of its nonzero elements. A valuation is discrete when its value group is infinite cyclic with the order inherited from $\mathbb{Z}$.

A uniformizer of a discrete valuation ring $R$ is a generator $\pi$ of its unique nonzero maximal ideal. Every nonzero $x$ in the fraction field has a unique expression $x=u{\pi }^n$ with $u$ a unit and $n\in \mathbb{Z}$.