Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 November 2011
A class of Noetherian semigroup algebras K[S] is described. In particular, we show that, for any submonoid S of the semigroup Mn of all monomial n × n matrices over a polycyclic-by-finite group G, K[S] is right Noetherian if and only if S satisfies the ascending chain condition on right ideals. This is then used to prove that every prime homomorphic image of a semigroup algebra of a finitely generated Malcev nilpotent semigroup S satisfying the ascending chain condition on right ideals is left and right Noetherian.