We demonstrate a one-dimensional magnetic system can exhibit a Cantor-type spectrum using an example of a chain graph with coupling at the vertices exposed to a magnetic field perpendicular to the graph plane and varying along the chain. If the field grows linearly with an irrational slope, measured in terms of the flux through the loops of the chain, we demonstrate the character of the spectrum relating it to the almost Mathieu operator.

We analyze spectral properties of the operator <i>H</i> = <i></i>²/<i>x</i>² <i></i>²/<i>y</i>² + <i></i>²<i>y</i>² <i>y</i>²<i>V</i>(<i>xy</i>) in <i>L</i>²(²), where <i></i> 0 and <i>V </i> 0 is a compactly supported and sufficiently regular potential. It is known that the spectrum of <i>H</i> depends on the one-dimensional Schrdinger operator <i>L</i> = <i>d</i>²/<i>dx</i>² + <i></i>² <i>V</i>(<i>x</i>) and it changes substantially as inf(<i>L</i>) switches sign. We prove that in the critical case, inf(<i>L</i>) = 0, the spectrum of <i>H</i> is purely essential and covers the interval [0, ). In the subcritical case, inf <i></i>(<i>L</i>) &gt; 0, the essential spectrum starts from <i></i> and there is a nonvoid discrete spectrum in the interval [0, <i></i>). We also derive a bound on the corresponding eigenvalue moments.

We consider the problem of geometric optimization for the lowest eigenvalue of the two-dimensional Schrdinger operator with an attractive -interaction of a fixed strength, the support of which is a star graph with finitely many edges of an equal length L(0,]. Under the constraint of fixed number of the edges and fixed length of them, we prove that the lowest eigenvalue is maximized by the fully symmetric star graph. The proof relies on the Birman-Schwinger principle, properties of the Macdonald function, and on a geometric inequality for polygons circumscribed into the unit circle.

For an arbitrary nonempty, open set ^<i>n</i>, <i>n</i> of finite (Euclidean) volume, we consider the minimally defined higher-order Laplacian (-\Delta)^m|_{{C^\infty_0}(\Omega)}, <i>m</i> , and its Kreinvon Neumann extension <i>A</i>_{<i>K</i>,,<i>m</i>} in <i>L</i>²(). with <i>N</i>(, <i>A</i>_{<i>K</i>,,<i>m</i>)}, (-\Delta)^m|_{{C^\infty_0}(\Omega)}, denoting the eigenvalue counting function corresponding to the strictly positive eigenvalues of <i>A</i>_{<i>K</i>,,<i>m</i>}, we derive the bound <i>N</i>(, <i>A</i>_{<i>K</i>,,<i>m</i>}) (2<i></i>)^-<i>n</i><i></i>_n||{1 + [2<i>m</i>/(2<i>m</i> + <i>n</i>)]}^{<i>n</i>/(2<i>m</i>)}^{<i>n</i>/(2<i>m</i>)}, &gt; 0, where <i>_n</i> <i></i>^<i>n</i>/2 /((<i>n</i> + 2)/2) denotes the (Euclidean) volume of the unit ball in ^<i>n</i>.

We analyze two-dimensional Schrdinger operators with the potential |{xy}{|}^{p}-\lambda {({x}^{2}+{y}^{2})}^{p/(p+ 2)} where |{xy}{|}^{p}-\lambda {({x}^{2}+{y}^{2})}^{p/(p+ 2)} and |{xy}{|}^{p}-\lambda {({x}^{2}+{y}^{2})}^{p/(p+ 2)} which exhibit an abrupt change of spectral properties at a critical value of the coupling constant . We show that in the supercritical case the spectrum covers the whole real axis. In contrast, for below the critical value the spectrum is purely discrete and we establish a LiebThirring-type bound on its moments. In the critical case where the essential spectrum covers the positive halfline while the negative spectrum can only be discrete, we demonstrate numerically the existence of a ground-state eigenvalue.