Paper detail

Potentials for non-local Schrödinger operators with zero eigenvalues

The purpose of this paper is to give a systematic description of potentials decaying to zero at infinity, which generate eigenvalues at the edge of the absolutely continuous spectrum when combined with non-local operators defined by Bernstein functions of the Laplacian. By introducing suitable Hölder-Zygmund type spaces with different scale functions than usual, we study the action of these non-local Schrödinger operators in terms of second-order centered differences of eigenfunctions integrated with respect to singular kernels. First we obtain conditions under which the potentials decay at all, and are bounded continuous functions. Next we derive decay rates at infinity separately for operators with regularly varying and exponentially light Lèvy jump kernels. We show situations in which no decay occurs, implying that zero-energy eigenfunctions with specific decay properties cannot occur. Then we obtain detailed results on the sign of potentials at infinity which, apart from asymptotic behaviour at infinity, is a second main feature responsible for the occurrence or absence of zero eigenvalues. Finally, we study the behaviour of potentials at the origin, and analyze a delicate interplay between the pinning effect resulting from a well at zero combined with decay and sign at infinity, as a main mechanism in the formation of zero-energy bound states. Among the many possible examples of non-local operators, we single out the fractional Laplacian and the massive relativistic operator, and we will derive and make extensive use of an additive relationship between the two. In the paper we propose a unified framework and develop a purely analytic approach.