Restricting Higgs bundles to curves (Q317503)

Let \(X\) be a smooth projective variety over \(\mathbb{C}\) of dimension \(n\). \textit{U. Bruzzo} and \textit{B. G. Otero} [Adv. Math. 226, No. 4, 3655--3676 (2011; Zbl 1263.14019)] showed that if a Higgs bundle \((E, \phi)\) over \(X\) is slope semistable and satisfies \[ \Delta(E) \;:= \;c_2(E) - \frac{r-1}{2r}c_1(E)^2 \;= \;0 , \] then \(f^* (E, \phi)\) is a semistable Higgs bundle for any morphism \(f : C \to X\) where \(C\) is a smooth curve. Counterexamples to the converse statement are given by \textit{I. Biswas}, \textit{U. Bruzzo} and \textit{S. Gurjar} [``Higgs bundles and fundamental group schemes'', in preparation, \url{arXiv:1607.07207}]. The authors define a \textit{Higgs variety} as a variety \(X\) with the property that if a Higgs bundle \((E, \phi)\) over \(X\) satisfies \(f^*(E, \phi)\) semistable for any \(f : C \to X\) as above, then \(\Delta(E) = 0\). They prove that several classes of varieties, including rationally connected varieties and abelian varieties, are Higgs varieties. Combining this with a theorem of \textit{J.-P. Demailly} et al. [J. Algebr. Geom. 3, No. 2, 295--345 (1994; Zbl 0827.14027)], they show that any projective variety with nef tangent bundle is a Higgs variety. They also generalise this statement to Higgs principal bundles.