Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 January 2004
Let $Y \rightrightarrows X$ be a finite flat groupoid scheme with $X$ a quasi-projective variety and let $S$ be its coarse moduli scheme. We associate to the groupoid scheme a coherent sheaf of algebras $\mathcal{O}_{X / Y}$ on $S$ which we call the non-commutative coordinate ring of the groupoid scheme. We show that when $X$ is a smooth curve and the groupoid action is generically free, the non-commutative coordinate rings which can occur are, up to Morita equivalence, the hereditary orders on smooth curves. This gives a bijective correspondence between smooth one-dimensional Deligne–Mumford stacks of finite type and Morita equivalence classes of hereditary orders on smooth curves.