Scattering of the three-dimensional cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with partial harmonic potentials

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the following three dimensional defocusing cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLS) with partial harmonic potential \begin{equation*}\tag{NLS} i\partial_t u + \left(\Delta_{\mathbb{R}^3 }-x^2 \right) u = |u|^2 u, \quad u|_{t=0} = u_0. \end{equation*} Our main result shows that the solution $u$ scatters for any given initial data $u_0$ with finite mass and energy. The main new ingredient in our approach is to approximate (NLS) in the large-scale case by a relevant dispersive continuous resonant (DCR) system. The proof of global well-posedness and scattering of the new (DCR) system is greatly inspired by the fundamental works of Dodson \cite{D3,D1,D2} in his study of scattering for the mass-critical nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. The analysis of (DCR) system allows us to utilize the additional regularity of the smooth nonlinear profile so that the celebrated concentration-compactness/rigidity argument of Kenig and Merle applies.