Sharp Poincaré inequalities in a class of non-convex sets (Q1624171)

A new estimate for the first non-trivial Neumann eigenvalue with corresponding eigenfunction being odd with respect to the \(y\)-axis is derived. This eigenvalue, say \(\mu_1^{\text{odd}}(D)\), depends on the domain \(D\) which is given as follows: Let \(\gamma\) be a smooth, non-closed, simple curve whose image is symmetric with respect to the \(y\)-axis. Then \(D\) is a planar domain that consists of the points on one side of \(\gamma\) which have a suitable distance \(\delta\) of \(\gamma\). The authors show that \(\mu_1^{\text{odd}}(D)\) can be sharply esimated from below by the length of \(\gamma\), its curvature, and \(\delta\) assuming some simple geometric properties of \(\gamma\). Further, they derive explicit conditions to obtain \(\mu_1^{\text{odd}}(D)=\mu_1(D)\). Moreover, they extend their bounds on \(\mu_1^{\text{odd}}(D)\) to a certain class of three-dimensional domains. Interestingly, the domains under consideration are generally non-convex both in 2D and 3D.