The structure of stable minimal hypersurfaces in \(\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) (Q1378332)

The authors prove that, for \(n\geq 3,\) any complete orientable stable minimal hypersurface \(M\) in \({\mathbb R}^{n+1}\) cannot have more than one end. The proof is rather elegant. A harmonic function on \(M\) is constructed by an exhaustion procedure in which each compact sub-problem imposes Dirichlet boundary data equal to 1 in the portion of the boundary approaching one end and vanishing Dirichlet data in the portion approaching the other end (or ends). By applying the Sobolev inequality of \textit{J. H. Michael} and \textit{L. M. Simon} [Commun. Pure. Appl. Math. 26, 361-379 (1973; Zbl 0256.53006)] to exploit the dichotomy between the boundary values imposed in the two or more ends, the authors are able to show that the harmonic function they have constructed is non-constant. Since the existence of such a non-constant harmonic function would contradict a Liouville type theorem proved by \textit{R. Schoen} and \textit{S.-T. Yau} [Comment. Math. Helv. 51, 333-341 (1976; Zbl 0361.53040)], the basis for the construction, i.e., the multiple ends, must not exist.