Spectral Theory of Infinite Quantum Graphs

We investigate spectral properties of quantum graphs with infinitely many edges without the common restriction on the geometry of the underlying metric graph that there is a positive lower bound on the lengths of its edges. Our central result is a close connection between spectral properties of a quantum graph with Kirchhoff or, more generally, δ-type couplings at vertices and the corresponding properties of a certain weighted discrete Laplacian on the underlying discrete graph. Using this connection together with spectral theory of (unbounded) discrete Laplacians on graphs, we prove a number of new results on spectral properties of quantum graphs. In particular, we prove several self-adjointness results including a Gaffney type theorem. We investigate the problem of lower semiboundedness, prove several spectral estimates (bounds for the bottom of spectra and essential spectra of quantum graphs, CLR-type estimates etc.) and also study spectral types of quantum graphs.