Finite Morse Index Implies Finite Ends

We prove that finite Morse index solutions to the Allen-Cahn equation in ℝ² have finitely many ends and linear energy growth. The main tool is a curvature decay estimate on level sets of these finite Morse index solutions, which in turn is reduced to a problem on the uniform second-order regularity of clustering interfaces for the singularly perturbed Allen-Cahn equation. Using an indirect blowup technique, in the spirit of the classical Colding-Minicozzi theory in minimal surfaces, we show that the obstruction to the uniform second-order regularity of clustering interfaces in ℝⁿ is associated to the existence of nontrivial entire solutions to a (finite or infinite) Toda system in ℝ^n–1. For finite Morse index solutions in ℝ², we show that this obstruction does not exist by using information on stable solutions of the Toda system. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.