A probabilistic proof of the fundamental gap conjecture via the coupling by reflection

Abstract

Let $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ be a strictly convex domain with smooth boundary and diameter $D$. The fundamental gap conjecture claims that if $V:\bar\Omega\to\mathbb{R}$ is convex, then the spectral gap of the Schr\"odinger operator $-\Delta+V$ with Dirichlet boundary condition is greater than $\frac{3\pi^2}{D^2}$. Using analytic methods, Andrews and Clutterbuck recently proved in [J. Amer. Math. Soc. 24 (2011), no. 3, 899--916] a more general spectral gap comparison theorem which implies this conjecture. In the first part of the current work, we shall give an independent probabilistic proof of their result via the coupling by reflection of the diffusion processes. Moreover, we also present in the second part a simpler probabilistic proof of the original conjecture.