On the uniqueness and simplicity of the principal eigenvalue (Q2504820)

Summary: Given an open set \(\Omega\) of \(\mathbb{R}^{N} (N>2)\), bounded or unbounded, and a function \(w \in L^{\frac{N}{2}} (\Omega)\) with \(w^{+} \not\equiv 0\) but allowed to change sign, we give a short proof that the positive principal eigenvalue of the problem \[ -\Delta u = \lambda w (x) u, \qquad u \in \mathcal{D}_{0}^{1,2} (\Omega), \] is unique and simple. We apply this result to study unbounded Palais-Smale sequences as well as to give a priori estimates on the set of critical points of functionals of the type \[ I(u) = \frac{1}{2} \int\limits_{\Omega} |\nabla u|^{2} dx - \int\limits_{\Omega} G (x, u) dx, \qquad u \in \mathcal{D}_{0}^{1,2} (\Omega), \] when \(G\) has a subquadratic growth at infinity.