We consider a pair of isoperimetric problems arising in physics. The first concerns a Schrdinger operator in L^2(\mathbb{R}^2) with an attractive interaction supported on a closed curve , formally given by (<i>x</i>); we ask which curve of a given length maximizes the ground state energy. In the second problem we have a loop-shaped thread in L^2(\mathbb{R}^2), homogeneously charged but not conducting, and we ask about the (renormalized) potential-energy minimizer. Both problems reduce to purely geometric questions about inequalities for mean values of chords of . We prove an isoperimetric theorem for <i>p</i>-means of chords of curves when <i>p</i> 2, which implies in particular that the global extrema for the physical problems are always attained when is a circle. The letter concludes with a discussion of the <i>p</i>-means of chords when <i>p</i> &gt; 2.

A two-dimensional model of electron motion in a curved quantum wire of length 2<i>D</i> attached to a pair of macroscopic electrodes is studied. The wire is regarded as infinitely thin and supports a potential which is a combination of a constant transversal-mode energy and an attractive curvature-induced term. The system is shown to have at least one resonance which exhibits spectral concentration as <i>D</i>.

We discuss the discrete spectrum of N particles in a curved planar waveguide. If they are neutral fermions, the maximum number of particles that the waveguide can bind is given by a one-particle BirmanSchwinger bound in combination with the Pauli principle. On the other hand, if they are charged, e.g., electrons in a bent quantum wire, the Coulomb repulsion plays a crucial role. We prove a sufficient condition under which the discrete spectrum of such a system is empty.

We discuss approximations of the vertex coupling on a star-shaped quantum graph of n edges in the singular case when the wave functions are not continuous at the vertex and no edge-permutation symmetry is present. It is shown that the CheonShigehara technique using interactions with nonlinearly scaled couplings yields a 2n-parameter family of boundary conditions in the sense of norm resolvent topology. Moreover, using graphs with additional edges, one can approximate the {n+1\choose 2}-parameter family of all time-reversal invariant couplings.

We propose a model for scattering in a flat resonator with a thin antenna. The results are applied to rectangular microwave cavities. We compute the resonance spacing distribution and show that it agrees well with experimental data provided the antenna radius is much smaller than wavelengths of the resonance wavefunctions.