On algebraic semigroups and monoids, II

Consider an algebraic semigroup S and its closed subscheme of idempotents, E(S). When S is commutative, we show that E(S) is finite and reduced; if in addition S is irreducible, then E(S) is contained in a smallest closed irreducible subsemigroup of S, and this subsemigroup is an affine toric variety. It follows that E(S) (viewed as a partially ordered set) is the set of faces of a rational polyhedral convex cone. On the other hand, when S is an irreducible algebraic monoid, we show that E(S) is smooth, and its connected components are conjugacy classes of the unit group.