Speaker: 

Martin Li

Institution: 

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Time: 

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 - 4:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

ISEB 1200

It is well known that the semi-linear elliptic Allen-Cahn equation arising in phase transition theory is closely related to the theory of minimal surfaces. Earlier works of Modica and Sternberg et. al in the 1970’s studied minimizing solutions in the framework of De Giorgi’s Gamma-convergence theory. The more profound regularity theory for stationary and stable solutions were obtained by the deep work of Tonegawa and Wickramasekera, building upon the celebrated Schoen-Simon regularity theory for stable minimal hypersurfaces. This is recently used by Guaraco to develop a new approach to min-max constructions of minimal hypersurfaces via the Allen-Cahn equation. In this talk, we will discuss about the boundary behaviour for limit interfaces arising in the Allen-Cahn equation on bounded domains (or, more generally, on compact manifolds with boundary). In particular, we show that, under uniform energy bounds, any such limit interface is a free boundary minimal hypersurface in the generalised sense of varifolds. Moreover, we establish the up-to-the-boundary integer rectifiability of the limit varifold. If time permits, we will also discuss what we expect in the case of stable solutions. This is on-going joint work with Davide Parise (UCSD) and Lorenzo Sarnataro (Princeton). This work is substantially supported by research grants from Hong Kong Research Grants Council and National Science Foundation China.