A fraction field is not finitely generated over its subdomain

I'm looking for proofs of the following fact.

Suppose that $R$ is a domain which is not a field with fraction field $K$. Then $K$ is not finitely generated as $R$-module.

I know this fact is true, at least, when $R$ is Noetherian and I guess it is true in general. I know two proofs, one when $R$ is Noetherian and one (very indirect) when $R$ is Noetherian local. Do you know any direct proof for any arbitrary domain $R$?

Thanks!


The fraction field $K$ has the structure of an $R$-module, and for any maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}$ of $R$, it also naturally has the structure of an $R_\mathfrak{m}$-module. If $K$ is finitely generated as an $R$-module, then $K$ must also be finitely generated as an $R_\mathfrak{m}$-module because $R_\mathfrak{m}\supseteq R$. Thus we are reduced to the case when $R$ is local.

Let $R$ be a local domain with maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m} \neq 0$. Clearly, $\mathfrak{m}K=K$. But the Jacobson radical of $R$ is just $\mathfrak{m}$, so if $K$ is finitely generated as an $R$-module, then Nakayama's lemma implies that $K=0$, which is a contradiction.


If $K$ is finitely generated module over $R$, it is integral over $R$.
But given domains $R\subset K$ with $K$ integral over $R$, $K$ is a field if and only if $R$ is a field. (Atiyah-Macdonald, Prop 5.7)
So if $R$ is not a field but $K$ is, then $K$ is not integral over $R$ and thus not a finitely generated module over $R$.
Edit
It is perfectly possible for the fraction field $K$ of a domain $R$ that is not a field to be finitely generated as an algebra over $R$.
The simplest class of examples is that of discrete valuation rings.
Indeed if $R$ is such a ring and if $\pi$ is a generator of its unique maximal ideal , then we have $$K=R[\frac {1}{\pi}]$$.