Cyclic surfaces and Hitchin components in rank 2

Abstract

We prove that given a Hitchin representation in a real split rank 2 group $\mathsf G_0$, there exists a unique equivariant minimal surface in the corresponding symmetric space. As a corollary, we obtain a parametrization of the Hitchin components by a Hermitian bundle over Teichm\"uller space. The proof goes through introducing holomorphic curves in a suitable bundle over the symmetric space of $\mathsf G_0$. Some partial extensions of the construction hold for cyclic bundles in higher rank.