One-dimensional Schrödinger operators with random potentials: a survey (Q799034)

The spectral properties of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators \(H=d^ 2/dt^ 2+q(t)\) are well known. The first part of the paper reviews numerous classes of potential functions q(t) for which one can determine the various components (absolute continuous, pure point, singular continuous) of the spectrum of H, using the method of spectral analysis based on the classical ordinary differential equations approach. The main concern is the investigation of the drastic changes which occur when the potential function is taken to be random and the paper should be viewed as a guided tour to the huge literature on this problem. The topics are organized in thermodynamic properties (density of states, repulsion of energy levels,...) and spectral characteristics (absolute continuous spectrum, exponential localization,...). The main emphasis is on the so-called continuous one-dimensional case, even though numerous results proven in the lattice case are quoted.