Free Pick functions: representations, asymptotic behavior and matrix monotonicity in several noncommuting variables (Q526855)

The set of complex analytic functions that take the upper half plane into itself is referred to as the Pick class. The free Pick class is the collection of functions that map tuples of matrices with positive imaginary part into the matrices with positive imaginary part, which further obey the free functional class. A rather well-known theorem of \textit{R. Nevanlinna} shows that a subset of the Pick class that satisfies an asymptotic condition at infinity is precisely parametrised by finite positive Borel measures on the real line [Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn., Ser. A 18, 53 p. (1922; JFM 48.1226.02)]. Using \textit{K. Löwner}'s theorem [Math. Z. 38, 177--216 (1934; Zbl 0008.11301, JFM 60.0055.01)], the theory of Pick functions can be used to analyse matrix monotone functions. Recall that \(f:(a,b) \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) is called matrix monotone if \(f(B)-f(A)\) is positive semidefinite whenever \(B-A\) is positive semidefinite. Löwner [loc.\,cit.] showed that a bounded Borel function \(f:(a,b) \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) is matrix monotone if and only if \(f\) is real analytic and analytically continues to the upper half plane as a function in the Pick class. The authors extend the results of Nevanlinna and Löwner on matrix monotone functions to the free Pick class.