Filters in (Quasiordered) Semigroups and Lattices of Filters

Abstract

A filter in a semigroup is a subsemigroup whose complement is an ideal. (Alternatively, in a quasiordered semigroup, a slightly more general definition can be given.) We prove a number of results related to filters in a semigroup and the lattice of filters of a semigroup. For instance, we prove that every complete algebraic lattice can be the lattice of filters of a semigroup. We prove that every finite semigroup is a homomorphic image of a finite semigroup whose lattice of filters is boolean and which belongs to the pseudovariety generated by the original semigroup. We describe filter lattices of some well-known semigroups such as full transformation semigroups of finite sets (which are three-element chains) and free semigroups (which are boolean).