Burnside's theorem for matrix rings over division rings

摘要

A version of Burnside's theorem states that if F is an arbitrary field and A subset of M-n(F) is an irreducible (or, equivalently, transitive) subalgebra containing a rank-one matrix, then A = M-n(F). The present paper shows that if F is replaced by a division ring D, then every transitive left subalgebra of M-n(D) containing a rank-one matrix is equal to M-n(D). (Here, by a left algebra we mean a ring which is also a left D-module.) Counterexamples are given in case A is irreducible but not transitive. Moreover, it is shown that irreducible left algebras of quaternionic matrices contain rank-one idempotents and their structures are classified. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.