Criteria for embedded eigenvalues for discrete Schr\"odinger operators

TL;DR

This paper investigates the conditions under which discrete Schrödinger operators have embedded eigenvalues within the essential spectrum, introducing new potentials and transformations to characterize and construct such eigenvalues.

Contribution

The paper develops the Pr"ufer transformation and introduces almost sign type potentials to identify and construct embedded eigenvalues in discrete Schrödinger operators.

Findings

Sharp spectral transition for irrational and rational eigenvalues.

Bounds on potential decay for rational eigenvalues with odd denominator.

Construction methods for potentials with prescribed embedded eigenvalues.

Abstract

In this paper, we consider discrete Schr\"odinger operators of the form, \begin{equation*} (Hu)(n)= u({n+1})+u({n-1})+V(n)u(n). \end{equation*} We view $H$ as a perturbation of the free operator $H_0$, where $(H_0u)(n)= u({n+1})+u({n-1})$. For $H_0$ (no perturbation), $\sigma_{\rm ess}(H_0)=\sigma_{\rm ac}(H)=[-2,2]$ and $H_0$ does not have eigenvalues embedded into $(-2,2)$. It is an interesting and important problem to identify the perturbation such that the operator $H_0+V$ has one eigenvalue (finitely many eigenvalues or countable eigenvalues) embedded into $(-2,2)$. We introduce the {\it almost sign type potential } and develop the Pr\"ufer transformation to address this problem, which leads to the following five results. \begin{description} \item[1] We obtain the sharp spectral transition for the existence of irrational type eigenvalues or rational type eigenvalues with even denominator. \item[2] Suppose $\limsup_{n\to \infty} n|V(n)|=a<\infty.$ We obtain a lower/upper bound of $a$ such that $H_0+V$ has one rational type eigenvalue with odd denominator. \item[3] We obtain the asymptotical behavior of embedded eigenvalues around the boundaries of $(-2,2)$. \item [4]Given any finite set of points $\{ E_j\}_{j=1}^N$ in $(-2,2)$ with $0\notin \{ E_j\}_{j=1}^N+\{ E_j\}_{j=1}^N$, we construct potential $V(n)=\frac{O(1)}{1+|n|}$ such that $H=H_0+V$ has eigenvalues $\{ E_j\}_{j=1}^N$. \item[5]Given any countable set of points $\{ E_j\}$ in $(-2,2)$ with $0\notin \{ E_j\}+\{ E_j\}$, and any function $h(n)>0$ going to infinity arbitrarily slowly, we construct potential $|V(n)|\leq \frac{h(n)}{1+|n|}$ such that $H=H_0+V$ has eigenvalues $\{ E_j\}$. \end{description}