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The prime radical of a noncommutative ring is $N(R)={\bigcap }_{P}P$, with $P$ ranging over all prime ideals of a noncommutative ring. Here primeness means that for two-sided ideals $A,B$, $AB\subseteq P$ implies $A\subseteq P$ or $B\subseteq P$. A minimal prime over an ideal $I$ is a prime ideal containing $I$ with no strictly smaller prime ideal containing $I$.

The ascending chain condition on left ideals also applies to two-sided ideals. We first prove by Noetherian induction that every proper $I$ contains a finite product of prime ideals, each containing $I$. If there were counterexamples, choose a maximal one. It is not prime, so there are strictly larger two-sided ideals $A,B$ with $AB\subseteq I$. Neither is a counterexample; products of prime ideals contained in $A$ and in $B$ then concatenate to a product contained in $I$, a contradiction.

Write $P_1\cdots P_t\subseteq I\subseteq P_j$. Every prime ideal $P$ over $I$ contains at least one $P_j$, by primeness. The inclusion-minimal members of the finite list $P_j$ are therefore precisely the minimal primes over an ideal $I$: any smaller prime over $I$ would contain a member of that same list. Consequently there are finitely many. Replacing each factor $P_j$ by a minimal prime contained in it giveswith each $Q_j$ minimal over $I$. Repeated factors may be necessary; in $k[\epsilon ]/({\epsilon }^m)$ the sole minimal prime $(\epsilon )$ requires its $m$th power to reach zero.

Apply this to $I=0$. Since $N(R)\subseteq Q_j$ for every $j$,Thus the prime radical is a nilpotent ideal, as in finite minimal primes and nilpotent prime radical.

Now assume $R$ is commutative. A prime ideal $P$ is an associated prime of a module $M$ when $P={\mathrm{Ann}}_R(m)$ for some $0\ne m\in M$. Every nonzero module over $R$ has an associated prime: the ascending chain condition gives a maximal annihilator of a nonzero element, and maximal annihilator of a module element is prime.

Since the given $M$ is a Noetherian module, repeatedly choosing such a cyclic submodule in the next quotient yields a finite prime filtrationThe process terminates by the ascending chain condition. In a short exact sequence $0\to U\to M\to W\to 0$, one has $\mathrm{Ass}(M)\subseteq \mathrm{Ass}(U)\cup \mathrm{Ass}(W)$. Indeed, if $P=\mathrm{Ann}(m)$ and $Rm\cap U=0$, the image of $m$ in $W$ still has annihilator $P$. Otherwise choose $0\ne am\in U$; then $a\notin P$, and primeness gives $\mathrm{Ann}(am)=P$. As $\mathrm{Ass}(R/P_i)=\{P_i\}$, induction along the prime filtration provesIn particular there are only finitely many associated primes of a module.

Finally let $P$ be a minimal prime ideal of $R$. Its localization at a prime ideal $R_P$ has exactly one prime, its maximal ideal $P{R}_P$. The preceding nilpotence result makes this maximal ideal nilpotent. Choose $0\ne y\in R_P$ annihilated by $P{R}_P$, for example a nonzero element in its last nonzero power, or $1$ if $P{R}_P=0$. Since elements outside the maximal ideal are units, ${\mathrm{Ann}}_{R_P}(y)=P{R}_P$.

Write $y=r/s$. The element $r/1$ is nonzero and also has annihilator $P{R}_P$. Generate $P$ by $p_1,\dots ,p_{\ell }$. For each $i$, choose $u_i\notin P$ with $u_i{p}_{i}r=0$, and put $u={\prod }_i{u}_i$. Then $m=ur$ remains nonzero after localization, while $Pm=0$. If $am=0$, localization forces $a/1\in P{R}_P$, and hence $a\in P$. Therefore ${\mathrm{Ann}}_R(m)=P$. This proves that minimal primes are associated primes.

A right Noetherian ring satisfies the ascending chain condition on right ideals; equivalently, every right ideal is a finitely generated module.

Here is a noncommutative Hilbert basis theorem proof adapted to the stated hypothesis. Set $F_{-1}=0$ andThe equality follows inductively from $A+xA=A+Ax$, by moving one coefficient past one $x$ at a time. These spaces form an exhaustive filtered algebra structure on $B$, with $F_n{F}_m\subseteq F_{n+m}$. This does not assert uniqueness of the displayed expressions or the existence of a coefficient-moving automorphism.

For a right ideal $I\subseteq B$, defineEach $L_n$ is a right ideal of $A$. In fact, if $a\in L_n$ and $c\in A$, write $c{x}^n=x^{n}b+u$ with $b\in A$, $u\in F_{n-1}$; then $ac{x}^n=(a{x}^n)b+au\in I+F_{n-1}$. Also $L_n\subseteq L_{n+1}$ by right multiplication by $x$. Since $A$ is a right Noetherian ring, this ascending chain stabilizes at some $L_N$.

Choose finite generators $a_{nj}$ for each $L_n$, $0\le n\le N$, and choose $f_{nj}\in I$ with $f_{nj}-a_{nj}{x}^n\in F_{n-1}$. These finitely many elements generate $I$ as a right ideal. To see this, induct on $m$ for $f\in I\cap F_m$. Write $f=a{x}^m+u$ with $u\in F_{m-1}$; then $a\in L_m$. Put $d=\min (m,N)$ and express $a={\sum }_j{a}_{dj}{c}_j$. Write $c_j{x}^d=x^d{b}_j+u_j$ with $u_j\in F_{d-1}$. The differencelies in $I\cap F_{m-1}$, so the induction applies. At $m=0$ the remainder is zero. Hence $B$ is right Noetherian.

For the quantum torus, take $q\in k^{\times }$ and the convention $YX=qXY$. Begin with the polynomial ring $k[X]$, which is Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. Adjoining $X^{-1}$ preserves the hypothesis because it commutes with $k[X]$, and gives $k[X^{\pm 1}]$. Adjoin $Y$ next. The relation $Yf(X)=f(qX)Y$ and its inverse coefficient-moving relation give $A+YA=A+AY$ for $A=k[X^{\pm 1}]$. Finally adjoin $Y^{-1}$ to $k[X^{\pm 1}][Y;\sigma ]$, where $\sigma (X)=qX$. On a monomial, $Y^{-1}{X}^i{Y}^j=q^{-i}{X}^i{Y}^{j-1}$; when $j=0$ this is in $A{Y}^{-1}$, and when $j>0$ it is in $A$. The reverse inclusion follows by the same relation. The preceding argument applies at each step, proving the quantum torus is right Noetherian. Nonzero $q$ is required for this notation.

For a noncommutative ring, a prime ideal of a noncommutative ring means a proper two-sided ideal $P$ such that $UV\subseteq P$ for two-sided ideals $U,V$ implies $U\subseteq P$ or $V\subseteq P$. Equivalently, $aAb\subseteq P$ implies $a\in P$ or $b\in P$. This definition does not require $A/P$ to be a noncommutative domain.

Retain the right Noetherian ring hypothesis for the last assertion. More generally, the ascending chain condition on two-sided ideals suffices. We claim that every proper two-sided ideal $I$ contains a product of finitely many prime ideals of a noncommutative ring, each containing $I$. If not, choose a maximal counterexample $I$. It cannot be a prime ideal of a noncommutative ring. Thus there are two-sided ideals $U,V$ strictly containing $I$ with $UV\subseteq I$: add $I$ to the two witnesses for failure of the defining condition for a prime ideal of a noncommutative ring. By maximality, both $U$ and $V$ contain products of finitely many prime ideals of a noncommutative ring containing them. Concatenating these products gives a product inside $UV\subseteq I$, a contradiction.

Apply the claim to $I=0$ in a nonzero $A$, obtaining $P_1\cdots P_r=0$. Every prime ideal of a noncommutative ring $Q$ contains one of the $P_i$, by repeated application of the definition of a prime ideal of a noncommutative ring. For the prime radical of a noncommutative ring $N$, it follows thatIndeed, $N\subseteq P_i$ gives $N^r\subseteq P_1\cdots P_r=0$, and ${\bigcap }_i{P}_i\subseteq Q$ for every $Q$ gives equality of the intersections. If $A=0$, the empty intersection is the whole zero ring and the conclusion is immediate.

The final assertion is false for arbitrary algebras without the preceding chain condition. For example, in the commutative ring $k[z_1,z_2,\dots ]/(z_i^2:i\ge 1)$ the nilradical is $(z_1,z_2,\dots )$, its only prime ideal, but the product of any number of distinct $z_i$ is nonzero. Thus this nilradical is not a nilpotent ideal.