Eigenvalues and virtual levels of a family of $2 \times 2$ operator matrices

Abstract

In the present paper we consider a family of $2 \times 2$ operator matrices ${\mathcal A}_\mu(k),$ $k \in {\Bbb T}^3:=(-\pi, \pi]^3,$ $\mu>0,$ associated with the Hamiltonian of a system consisting of at most two particles on a three-dimensional lattice ${\Bbb Z}^3,$ interacting via creation and annihilation operators. We prove that there is a value $\mu_0$ of the parameter $\mu$ such that only for $\mu=\mu_0$ the operator ${\mathcal A}_\mu(\overline{0})$ has a virtual level at the point $z=0=\min\sigma_{\rm ess}({\mathcal A}_\mu(\overline{0}))$ and the operator ${\mathcal A}_\mu(\overline{\pi})$ has a virtual level at the point $z=18=\max\sigma_{\rm ess}({\mathcal A}_\mu(\overline{\pi}))$, where $\overline{0}:=(0,0,0), \overline{\pi}:=(\pi,\pi,\pi) \in {\Bbb T}^3.$ The absence of the eigenvalues of ${\mathcal A}_\mu(k)$ for all values of $k$ under the assumption that $\mu=\mu_0$ is shown. The threshold energy expansions for the Fredholm determinant associated to ${\mathcal A}_\mu(k)$ are obtained.