A semigroup approach to fractional powers

We say that A has fractional powers {A _t } _t≥0 if there exists a nondegenerate C-regularized semigroup {W(t)} _t≥0 such that A=C ⁻¹ W(1); then A _t ≡C ⁻¹ W(t). We show that this generalizes the usual definition of fractional powers for nonnegative operators, and enables many operators with spectrum containing the entire unit disc to have fractional powers. Our definition gives clear, simple proofs of the basic properties of fractional powers. We show that, for nonnegative operators, the fractional powers with the property that, if A is of type θ, then A _t is of type t θ, whenever t θ<π, are unique. More generally, for injective G∈B(X) commuting with A, we show that an operator A of G-regularized type θ has a unique family of fractional powers with the property that A _t is of G-regularized type t θ whenever t θ<π. This leads to a construction of fractional powers of operators with polynomially bounded resolvent outside of an appropriate sector. We show that an operator is of regularized type if and only if it has exponentially bounded regularized imaginary powers. This work was done while the second author was visiting Ohio University, with funding from Universitat de València. He would like to thank Ohio University and Professor deLaubenfels for their hospitality and support.