Spectral averaging, perturbation of singular spectra, and localization

A spectral averaging theorem is proved for one-parameter families of self-adjoint operators using the method of differential inequalities. This theorem is used to establish the absolute continuity of the averaged spectral measure with respect to Lebesgue measure. This is an important step in controlling the singular continuous spectrum of the family for almost all values of the parameter. The main application is to the problem of localization for certain families of random Schrödinger operators. Localization for a family of random Schrödinger operators is established employing these results and a multi-scale analysis.

     

Two-parameter spectral averaging and localization for non-monotonic random Schrödinger operators

We prove exponential localization at all energies for two types of one-dimensional random Schrödinger operators: the Poisson model and the random displacement model. As opposed to Anderson-type models, these operators are not monotonic in the random parameters. Therefore the classical one-parameter version of spectral averaging, as used in localization proofs for Anderson models, breaks down. We use the new method of two-parameter spectral averaging and apply it to the Poisson as well as the displacement case. In addition, we apply results from inverse spectral theory, which show that two-parameter spectral averaging works for sufficiently many energies (all but a discrete set) to conclude localization at all energies.

     

Generalized Eigenfunctions for Waves in Inhomogeneous Media

Many wave propagation phenomena in classical physics are governed by equations that can be recast in Schrödinger form. In this approach the classical wave equation (e.g., Maxwell's equations, acoustic equation, elastic equation) is rewritten in Schrödinger form, leading to the study of the spectral theory of its classical wave operator, a self-adjoint, partial differential operator on a Hilbert space of vector-valued, square integrable functions. Physically interesting inhomogeneous media give rise to nonsmooth coefficients. We construct a generalized eigenfunction expansion for classical wave operators with nonsmooth coefficients. Our construction yields polynomially bounded generalized eigenfunctions, the set of generalized eigenvalues forming a subset of the operator's spectrum with full spectral measure.     

Schrödinger operators and de Branges spaces

We present an approach to de Branges's theory of Hilbert spaces of entire functions that emphasizes the connections to the spectral theory of differential operators. The theory is used to discuss the spectral representation of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators and to solve the inverse spectral problem.     

Sparse potentials with fractional Hausdorff dimension

We construct non-random bounded discrete half-line Schrödinger operators which have purely singular continuous spectral measures with fractional Hausdorff dimension (in some interval of energies). To do this we use suitable sparse potentials. Our results also apply to whole line operators, as well as to certain random operators. In the latter case we prove and compute an exact dimension of the spectral measures.     

Comparison Theorems for the Spectral Gap of Diffusion Processes and Schrodinger Operators on an Interval

The spectral gaps and thus the exponential rates of convergenceto equilibrium are compared for ergodic one-dimensional diffusionson an interval. One of the results may be thought of as thediffusion analogue of a recent result for the spectral gap ofone-dimensional Schrödinger operators. The similaritiesand differences between spectral gap results for diffusionsand for Schrödinger operators are also discussed.     

Schrödinger operators and associated hyperbolic pencils

For a large class of Schrödinger operators, we introduce the hyperbolic quadratic pencils by making the coupling constant dependent on the energy in the very special way. For these pencils, many problems of scattering theory are significantly easier to study. Then, we give some applications to the original Schrödinger operators including one-dimensional Schrödinger operators with L²-operator-valued potentials, multidimensional Schrödinger operators with slowly decaying potentials.     

Continuous integral kernels for unbounded Schrödinger semigroups and their spectral projections

By suitably extending a Feynman-Kac formula of Simon (Canad. Math. Soc. Conf. Proc. 28 (2000) 317), we study one-parameter semigroups generated by (the negative of) rather general Schrödinger operators, which may be unbounded from below and include a magnetic vector potential. In particular, a common domain of essential self-adjointness for such a semigroup is specified. Moreover, each member of the semigroup is proven to be a maximal Carleman operator with a continuous integral kernel given by a Brownian-bridge expectation. The results are used to show that the spectral projections of the generating Schrödinger operator also act as Carleman operators with continuous integral kernels. Applications to Schrödinger operators with rather general random scalar potentials include a rigorous justification of an integral-kernel representation of their integrated density of states—a relation frequently used in the physics literature on disordered solids.     

Initial-Boundary Value Problems for Linear and Soliton PDEs

We consider evolution PDEs for dispersive waves in both linear and nonlinear integrable cases and formulate the associated initial-boundary value problems in the spectral space. We propose a solution method based on eliminating the unknown boundary values by proper restrictions of the functional space and of the spectral variable complex domain. Illustrative examples include the linear Schrödinger equation on compact and semicompact n-dimensional domains and the nonlinear Schrödinger equation on the semiline.     

Direct and Inverse Spectral Theory of One-dimensional Schrödinger Operators with Measures

We present a direct and rather elementary method for defining and analyzing one-dimensional Schrödinger operators H = −d²/dx² + μ with measures as potentials. The basic idea is to let the (suitably interpreted) equation −f′′ + μ f = zf take center stage.We show that the basic results from direct and inverse spectral theory then carry over to Schrödinger operators with measures.     

Anderson Localization for 2D Discrete Schr?dinger Operators with Random Magnetic Fields

We prove Anderson localization near the bottom of the spectrum for two-dimensional discrete Schrödinger operators with random magnetic fields and no scalar potentials. We suppose the magnetic fluxes vanish in pairs, and the magnetic field strength is bounded from below by a positive constant. Main lemmas are the Lifshitz tail and the Wegner estimate on the integrated density of states. Then, Anderson localization, i.e., pure point spectrum with exponentially decreasing eigenfunctions, is proved by the standard multiscale argument. Communicated by Gian Michele Graf submitted 01/10/02, accepted: 16/04/03     

Anderson localization and Lifshits tails for random surface potentials

We consider Schrödinger operators on L²(R^d) with a random potential concentrated near the surface R^d₁×{0}⊂R^d. We prove that the integrated density of states of such operators exhibits Lifshits tails near the bottom of the spectrum. From this and the multiscale analysis by Boutet de Monvel and Stollmann [Arch. Math. 80 (2003) 87-97] we infer Anderson localization (pure point spectrum and dynamical localization) for low energies. Our proof of Lifshits tails relies on spectral properties of Schrödinger operators with partially periodic potentials. In particular, we show that the lowest energy band of such operators is parabolic.     

Explicit finite volume criteria for localization in continuous random media and applications

We give finite volume criteria for localization of quantum or classical waves in continuous random media. We provide explicit conditions, depending on the parameters of the model, for starting the bootstrap multiscale analysis. A simple application to Anderson Hamiltonians on the continuum yields localization at the bottom of the spectrum in an interval of size C for large , where stands for the disorder parameter. A more sophisticated application proves localization for two-dimensional random Schrödinger operators in a constant magnetic field (random Landau Hamiltonians) up to a distance from the Landau levels for large B, where B is the strength of the magnetic field.     

Isometries, Fock spaces, and spectral analysis of Schrödinger operators on trees

We construct conjugate operators for the real part of a completely non-unitary isometry and we give applications to the spectral and scattering theory of a class of operators on (complete) Fock spaces, natural generalizations of the Schrödinger operators on trees. We consider C^*-algebras generated by such Hamiltonians with certain types of anisotropy at infinity, we compute their quotient with respect to the ideal of compact operators, and give formulas for the essential spectrum of these Hamiltonians.     

Zero measure Cantor spectra for continuum one-dimensional quasicrystals

We study Schrödinger operators on R$\mathbb{R}$ with measures as potentials. Choosing a suitable subset of measures we can work with a dynamical system consisting of measures. We then relate properties of this dynamical system with spectral properties of the associated operators. The constant spectrum in the strictly ergodic case coincides with the union of the zeros of the Lyapunov exponent and the set of non-uniformities of the transfer matrices. This result enables us to prove Cantor spectra of zero Lebesgue measure for a large class of operator families, including many operator families generated by aperiodic subshifts.     

Asymptotic formulae with remainder estimates for eigenvalue branches of the Schrödinger operator

The Floquet theory provides a decomposition of a periodic
Schrödinger operator into a direct integral, over a torus, of operators on a basic period cell. In this paper, it is proved that the same transform establishes a unitary equivalence between a multiplier by a decaying potential and a pseudo-differential operator on the torus, with an operator-valued symbol. A formula for the symbol is given. As applications, precise remainder estimates and two-term asymptotic formulas for spectral problems for a perturbed periodic Schrödinger operator are obtained.

     

Dispersive blow-up for nonlinear Schrödinger equations revisited

The possibility of finite-time, dispersive blow-up for nonlinear equations of Schrödinger type is revisited. This mathematical phenomena is one of the conceivable explanations for oceanic and optical rogue waves. In dimension one, the fact that dispersive blow up does occur for nonlinear Schrödinger equations already appears in [9]. In the present work, the existing results are extended in several ways. In one direction, the theory is broadened to include the Davey–Stewartson and Gross–Pitaevskii equations. In another, dispersive blow up is shown to obtain for nonlinear Schrödinger equations in spatial dimensions larger than one and for more general power-law nonlinearities. As a by-product of our analysis, a sharp global smoothing estimate for the integral term appearing in Duhamel's formula is obtained.     

A Generalization of the Second Quantization Method to the Case of Special Tensor Products of Fock Spaces and Quantization of Free Energy

The many-particle Schrödinger operator in Fock spaces is averaged by a method that is a generalization of the averaging given in the previous author's paper. This provides a new representation of the Schröodinger equation, which is a direct generalization of the second quantization representation. The resulting correspondence between symbols and operators permits one to quantize entropy as well as free energy.     

The Integrated Density of States for Some Random Operators with Nonsign Definite Potentials

We study the integrated density of states of random Anderson-type additive and multiplicative perturbations of deterministic background operators for which the single-site potential does not have a fixed sign. Our main result states that, under a suitable assumption on the regularity of the random variables, the integrated density of states of such random operators is locally Hölder continuous at energies below the bottom of the essential spectrum of the background operator for any nonzero disorder, and at energies in the unperturbed spectral gaps, provided the randomness is sufficiently small. The result is based on a proof of a Wegner estimate with the correct volume dependence. The proof relies upon the L^p-theory of the spectral shift function for p?1 (Comm. Math. Phys.218 (2001), 113-130), and the vector field methods of Klopp (Comm. Math. Phys.167 (1995), 553-569). We discuss the application of this result to Schrödinger operators with random magnetic fields and to band-edge localization.     

Limit-periodic Schrödinger operators in the regime of positive Lyapunov exponents

We investigate the spectral properties of discrete one-dimensional Schrödinger operators whose potentials are generated by continuous sampling along the orbits of a minimal translation of a Cantor group. We show that for given Cantor group and minimal translation, there is a dense set of continuous sampling functions such that the spectrum of the associated operators has zero Hausdorff dimension and all spectral measures are purely singular continuous. The associated Lyapunov exponent is a continuous strictly positive function of the energy. It is possible to include a coupling constant in the model and these results then hold for every non-zero value of the coupling constant.