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Use unital rings, and distinguish left and right Noetherianity. A useful form of the noncommutative Hilbert basis theorem is the following: if a ring $B$ is generated by a subring $A$ and an element $x$, if $A+xA=A+Ax$, and if $A$ is a right Noetherian ring, then $B$ is a right Noetherian ring. The corresponding left-handed statement holds as well. In particular, a central polynomial ring over a Noetherian ring is Noetherian, and a skew polynomial ring of an automorphism preserves either side's Noetherianity.

Here is a proof of the general right-handed statement. Put $F_{-1}=0$ andThe equality follows inductively from $A+xA=A+Ax$. These groups form an exhaustive ascending filtration, stable under multiplication by $A$ on either side, with $F_j{F}_k\subseteq F_{j+k}$. For any $b\in A$ and $n\ge 0$, moving coefficients one step at a time also givesFix a right ideal $I$ of $B$ and define coefficient setsEach $L_n$ is a right ideal of $A$. Additive closure is immediate. If $a\in L_n$ and $b\in A$, use the preceding transport identity to obtainHere $(a{x}^n)c$ has this membership because $I$ is a right ideal and $F_{n-1}$ is stable under right multiplication by $A$. Also $L_n\subseteq L_{n+1}$, by multiplying $a{x}^n\in I+F_{n-1}$ on the right by $x$. The ascending chain condition in $A$ yields $N$ with $L_n=L_N$ for $n\ge N$.

For each $0\le k\le N$, choose finite right generators $a_{kj}$ of $L_k$ and lifts $f_{kj}\in I$ with $f_{kj}-a_{kj}{x}^k\in F_{k-1}$. These finitely many lifts generate $I$ as a right ideal of $B$. To prove this, let $f\in I\cap F_d$ and write $f=a{x}^d+v$, $v\in F_{d-1}$. Then $a\in L_d$. Put $k=\min (d,N)$ and write $a={\sum }_j{a}_{kj}{b}_j$. Transport each coefficient as $b_j{x}^d=x^d{c}_j+v_j$ with $v_j\in F_{d-1}$. ConsequentlyInduction on $d$, with $F_{-1}=0$, expresses $f$ in the right ideal generated by the lifts. Every right ideal is therefore finitely generated, proving the theorem. Passing to the opposite ring proves the left-handed version. This proof does not require unique coefficient normal forms.

A poly-(cyclic or finite) group has a finite subnormal serieswhose factors $G_i/G_{i-1}$ are cyclic or finite. Normality is required between consecutive terms. We show inductively that each group ring $\mathbb{Z}[G_i]$ is both a left Noetherian ring and a right Noetherian ring.

The starting ring $\mathbb{Z}$ is Noetherian, since every ideal is principal. The other module fact we use is that a finitely generated module over a Noetherian ring on the relevant side is a Noetherian module: it is a quotient of a finite direct sum of regular modules, and the ascending chain condition passes to finite sums and quotients. For a finite sum this follows by induction, comparing the intersections of a chain with one summand and its images in the quotient by that summand.

If $H◃K$ has finite index, choosing coset representatives shows that $\mathbb{Z}[K]$ is finite free as a left and as a right $\mathbb{Z}[H]$-module. By finite-module extension preserves Noetherianity, every one-sided ideal of $\mathbb{Z}[K]$ is finitely generated already as a $\mathbb{Z}[H]$-module, and those same generators generate it as a $\mathbb{Z}[K]$-ideal. Thus either chain condition passes through a finite factor.

If $K/H$ is infinite cyclic, choose $t\in K$ lifting its generator. Every element of $K$ has a unique form $h{t}^n$, and conjugation by $t$ gives an automorphism $\sigma$ of $\mathbb{Z}[H]$. HenceFor the polynomial subring $C=\mathbb{Z}[H][t;\sigma ]$, the condition $A+tA=A+At$ follows from invertibility of $\sigma$, so the proved noncommutative Hilbert basis theorem makes $C$ Noetherian on both sides. A right ideal $J$ of the skew Laurent polynomial ring is generated by $J\cap C$: for any $f\in J$, choose $m$ large enough that $f{t}^m\in C$, and recover $f=(f{t}^m)t^{-m}$. Finite generators of $J\cap C$ over $C$ therefore generate $J$ over the Laurent ring. Left multiplication by a large power of $t$ proves the left-handed statement. These are the Laurent-extension facts used in the induction.

Every factor of the subnormal series is covered by one of these two cases. ThereforeThe argument proves the more general result that group rings of poly-(cyclic or finite) groups are Noetherian over any coefficient ring satisfying both chain conditions.

An almost commutative algebra over $\mathbb{C}$ has an exhaustive nonnegative increasing multiplicative ascending filtrationfor which the associated graded ringis a commutative finitely generated complex algebra. This includes the customary degree filtration with $F_{0}R=\mathbb{C}$, finitely many degree-one generators, and commutators lowering degree. The finite-generation clause is part of the convention used here and is necessary for the conclusion.

A finitely generated commutative complex algebra is a quotient of a polynomial ring $\mathbb{C}[X_1,\dots ,X_d]$. Repeated application of the central-variable case of the Hilbert basis theorem makes that polynomial ring Noetherian; quotients preserve the ascending chain condition by lifting ideal chains. Thus $\mathrm{gr}R$ is Noetherian.

We prove ascending filtered-graded transfer of Noetherianity directly. Give a left ideal $I\subseteq R$ the induced ascending filtration $I\cap F_{n}R$. Its associated graded module embeds into $\mathrm{gr}R$ as a homogeneous ideal, denoted $\mathrm{gr}I$. Choose finitely many homogeneous generators ${\overline{u}}_1,\dots ,{\overline{u}}_m$ of this ideal, of degrees $d_1,\dots ,d_m$, and lifts $u_j\in I\cap F_{d_j}R$. Homogeneous generators may be chosen by taking homogeneous components of any finite generating set.

For $u\in I\cap F_{n}R$, its degree-$n$ symbol can be expressed aswith terms of negative coefficient degree omitted. Lift each coefficient to $a_j\in F_{n-d_j}R$. ThenInduction on $n$, ending at $F_{-1}R=0$, expresses $u$ in the left ideal generated by the $u_j$. Hence every left ideal is finitely generated. Applying the same argument to right ideals, or to the opposite ring, provesThis degree-lowering proof terminates in finitely many steps and requires no completeness assumption on the filtered ring. Without finite generation of the graded algebra, a counterexample would be the commutative polynomial ring in infinitely many variables, whose ideals $(X_1)⊊(X_1,X_2)⊊\cdots$ do not stabilize.

For the universal enveloping algebra $U(\mathfrak{g})$, use the degree ascending filtration inherited from the tensor algebra of the finite-dimensional Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$. For $x,y\in \mathfrak{g}$, the defining relation is $xy-yx=[x,y]\in F_{1}U(\mathfrak{g})$, whereas the product $xy$ has filtration degree at most $2$. Thus the degree-one symbols commute in $\mathrm{gr}U(\mathfrak{g})$. Those symbols generate the graded algebra, so it is a quotient ofThis already proves the required almost-commutative property. The Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt theorem gives the stronger identification $\mathrm{gr}U(\mathfrak{g})\cong \mathrm{Sym}(\mathfrak{g})$, but injectivity of this map is not needed for the chain-condition argument. Therefore

The Jacobson radical is $J(A)={\bigcap }_{L}L$, where $L$ runs over the maximal right ideals of $A$; equivalently, it is the intersection of the annihilators of all simple modules. It is a two-sided ideal. A projective module has the lifting property against every surjective R-module homomorphism. A finitely generated module is a projective module precisely when it is a direct summand of a finitely generated free module. An indecomposable module is nonzero and admits no direct sum decomposition into two nonzero submodules.

To calculate the top of an indecomposable projective module, use the right Artinian ring hypothesis, namely the descending chain condition on right ideals. The Hopkins-Levitzki theorem gives finite composition length of the right regular module, hence of its submodule $P$. Also $J=J(A)$ is a nilpotent ideal, and $A/J$ is a semisimple ring. Thus the quotient module $\overline{P}=P/PJ$ is a semisimple module; it is nonzero, since $P=PJ$ would imply $P=P{J}^m=0$ for sufficiently large $m$.

Suppose $\overline{P}$ were not a simple module. A nontrivial direct sum decomposition of this semisimple module would give an idempotent $\alpha \in {\mathrm{End}}_A(\overline{P})$ that is neither zero nor the identity. Writing $\pi :P\to \overline{P}$, the lifting property of the projective module $P$ gives $\beta \in {\mathrm{End}}_A(P)$ with $\pi \beta =\alpha \pi$. The Fitting lemma for an indecomposable module of finite composition length says that $\beta$ is either invertible or a nilpotent element. Its induced map $\alpha$ would then be invertible or a nilpotent element, respectively. Neither is possible for a nontrivial idempotent. Therefore $P/PJ(A)$ is simple. This argument does not assume that an embedded projective module automatically splits off from the ambient module.

A block of an Artinian algebra is a nonzero two-sided direct summand $Ae$ determined by a primitive central idempotent $e$: $e$ cannot be written as a sum of two nonzero orthogonal central idempotents. Its identity is $e$. For a finite-dimensional associative algebra, the blocks of an Artinian algebra give its unique decomposition as a finite product of indecomposable algebras, or equivalently as a direct sum of two-sided ideals.

For the block of S3 in characteristic three, put $A=k{S}_3$, $r=(123)$, $s=(12)$ and $a=r-1$. The group algebra has basis $r^i,r^{i}s$ for $0\le i<3$. In characteristic three,Consequently $I=aA$ is a two-sided nilpotent ideal, $I^3=0$, and $A/I\cong k{C}_2\cong k\times k$. A nilpotent ideal lies in the Jacobson radical, and a quotient that is a semisimple ring forces the reverse inclusion. HenceDefine orthogonal idempotents $e_{+}=(1+s)/2$ and $e_{-}=(1-s)/2$. They sum to one, so the right regular module decomposes asThe two summands are the indecomposable projectives of S3 in characteristic three. Each direct summand is a projective module, with basis $e_{\pm },e_{\pm }r,e_{\pm }{r}^2$. Its quotient module modulo multiplication by $J(A)$ is one-dimensional: the trivial representation for $e_{+}A$, and the sign representation for $e_{-}A$. Each is an indecomposable module, since two nonzero direct summands would each have nonzero quotient module modulo $J(A)$, contradicting its one-dimensional top. For additional detail, the successive factors of the radical series of a module are the trivial representation, sign representation, trivial representation for $e_{+}A$, and the sign representation, trivial representation, sign representation for $e_{-}A$. Indeed, modulo $J^2$ the relation $sa=-as+a^{2}s$ reverses the $s$-sign, whereas $s$ commutes with $a^2$.

The center of an associative algebra is spanned by the conjugacy class sums $1$, $r+r^2$, and $(1+r+r^2)s$. Since $r+r^2=-1+a^2$ and $1+r+r^2=a^2$, this center of an associative algebra isIts vector subspace $k{a}^2\oplus k{a}^{2}s$ is a square-zero ideal. If $d1+n$ is a central idempotent, then $d^2=d$ and $(2d-1)n=0$. Thus $d=0$ or $1$ and $n=0$. There is no nontrivial central idempotent, so the whole group algebra is its single block. The two three-dimensional projective modules above are a decomposition of the regular module, not two blocks of an Artinian algebra.

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.

Use $q\in k^{\times }$ and $YX=qXY$ for the quantum plane. Its monomials $X^i{Y}^j$, $i,j\ge 0$, form a basis, with multiplicationOne way to verify the basis assertion without assuming it is to define this multiplication on the vector space with the displayed formal basis. This defines an associative algebra: for a third monomial $X^w{Y}^z$, the two products of three monomials have the same exponent $ju+jw+vw$ of $q$, and its generators satisfy the required relation. Conversely, the relation puts every word into this form, establishing the presentation. Order exponent pairs by the lexicographic order. The largest monomials of two nonzero finite sums give the uniquely largest monomial of their product, with coefficient $cd{q}^{ju}\ne 0$. Therefore the quantum plane is a domain. If one allows $q=0$, the assertion fails because $YX=0$ with both factors nonzero.

A uniform module is a nonzero module in which any two nonzero submodules have nonzero intersection. Suppose the right regular module of a right Noetherian domain $A$ were not a uniform module. Choose nonzero $a,b$ from two right ideals with zero intersection. Then $aA\cap bA=0$. The right idealsform a direct sum. For if ${\sum }_{i=0}^m{b}^{i}a{c}_i=0$, then $a{c}_0\in aA\cap bA$ is zero, so $c_0=0$ by the noncommutative domain property. Cancel the nonzero factor $b$ on the left and repeat to obtain every $c_i=0$. Each summand is nonzero, so their finite partial sums form a strictly ascending chain of right ideals. This contradicts the ascending chain condition of a right Noetherian ring. Hence $A$ is a uniform right module.

It follows that $aA\cap sA\ne 0$ whenever $a,s\ne 0$: there are nonzero $u,v$ with $au=sv$. This is the right Ore condition for the multiplicative set $S=A\setminus \{0\}$; zero numerators cause no difficulty. The Ore localization theorem therefore constructs the ring of right fractionsThe map is injective because an element mapping to zero is annihilated on the right by some nonzero denominator, impossible in a noncommutative domain. To make the denominator convention concrete, if $su=tv\ne 0$ thenFor multiplication, choose $bu=sc$ with $u\ne 0$; thenCommon right multiples make these operations independent of the chosen representatives. Every nonzero $a{s}^{-1}$ has inverse $s{a}^{-1}$, so $Q$ is a division ring. The original field $k$ is central in $A$ and therefore in the inverses as well, making $Q$ a division algebra over $k$. No commutative fraction field construction is being assumed.

The right annihilator of a subset $X$ of a ring is the right ideal of elements killed on the left by every member of $X$. Its sidedness matters for a noncommutative ring.

A ring is right Artinian if its right ideals satisfy the descending chain condition, equivalently its right regular module is an Artinian module. Left and right chain conditions should be distinguished for a general ring.

A right Goldie ring satisfies the right-sided conditions in the definition of a Goldie ring. Every right Noetherian ring does: its right annihilators are right ideals, and its right regular module has finite uniform dimension.

A noncommutative domain whose right ideals satisfy the ascending chain condition is a right Noetherian domain. Its right regular module is a uniform module, so any two nonzero principal right ideals intersect. Thus its nonzero elements satisfy the right Ore condition and it embeds in a division ring by Ore localization.

If two nonzero principal right ideals in a right Noetherian domain had zero intersection, the sums $bR\oplus abR\oplus \cdots \oplus a^{m}bR$ would be strictly increasing. Directness follows by splitting the lowest term into $bR$ and the other terms into $aR$, then cancelling $a$ and repeating. This contradicts the ascending chain condition. A nonzero common element $au=bv$ gives the right Ore condition. The left version follows from the opposite ring. Consequently a noncommutative domain Noetherian on both sides has a single division ring of fractions with both left and right fraction presentations.

Suppose $R$ is a right Noetherian ring and every essential right ideal contains a regular element of a ring. Preimages of essential regular principal right ideals under left multiplication are essential, so they contain regular elements and prove the right Ore condition. In the classical right ring of quotients $Q$, every right ideal is generated by its contraction to $R$, making $Q$ right Noetherian. An essential right ideal of $Q$ contracts to an essential right ideal of $R$, hence contains a regular element and is all of $Q$. A maximal disjoint complement to any right ideal has essential sum with it, so every right ideal is complemented. The right regular module is therefore a finite direct sum of simple modules, making $Q$ semisimple Artinian.

Adjoining an inverse of $t$ to the skew polynomial ring of an automorphism allows finite sums ${\sum }_{j\in \mathbb{Z}}{a}_j{t}^j$, with $ta=\sigma (a)t$. Every element can be moved into the polynomial subring by multiplying by a sufficiently large power of $t$. Consequently, for a right ideal $I$ of this ring, $I$ is generated by its intersection with the polynomial subring: if $f{t}^N$ lies there, then $f=(f{t}^N)t^{-N}$. This proves transfer of right Noetherianity from the polynomial subring, and multiplication on the left proves the left-handed version.

A nonzero module is uniform if every pair of nonzero submodules has nonzero intersection. Equivalently, every nonzero submodule is an essential submodule. A right Noetherian domain is uniform as a right module: if $aA\cap bA=0$ for nonzero $a,b$, the right ideals $b^{i}aA$, $i\ge 0$, form an infinite direct sum, contradicting the ascending chain condition.