Isometries, Fock spaces, and spectral analysis of Schrödinger operators on trees (Q2573426)

Let \(U\) be a completely non-unitary Hilbert space isometry. The authors define the number operator \(N\) associated with \(U\) as a self-adjoint operator satisfying the equation \(UNU^*= N-I\). It is shown that this operator is unique and an explicit computation of \(N\) is provided. The number operator is then used to construct a conjugate operator for the real part of \(U\). The authors give applications to the spectral and scattering theory of certain operators on Fock spaces which extend Schrödinger operators on trees. They also consider \(C^*\)-algebras generated by such operators and compute their essential spectrum.