Spectral Theory of Infinite Quantum Graphs

Abstract: We investigate quantum graphs with infinitely many vertices and edges without the common restriction on the geometry of the underlying metric graph that there is a positive lower bound on the lengths of its edges. Our central result is a close connection between spectral properties of a quantum graph and the corresponding properties of a certain weighted discrete Laplacian on the underlying discrete graph. Using this connection together with spectral theory of (unbounded) discrete Laplacians on infinite graphs, we prove a number of new results on spectral properties of quantum graphs. Namely, we prove several self-adjointness results including a Gaffney type theorem. We investigate the problem of lower semiboundedness, prove several spectral estimates (bounds for the bottom of spectra and essential spectra of quantum graphs, CLR-type estimates) and study spectral types.