Discrete Bethe-Sommerfeld conjecture (Q1663626)

Let \(V(\mathbf{n})\) be a real periodic potential defined on the \(d\)-dimensional integer lattice. The authors establish the following discrete version of the Bethe-Sommerfeld conjecture: There is a (positive) bound depending only on the period vector of \(V\) such that if \(\|V\|_{infty}\) is less than this bound, then the spectrum of the associated (discrete) Schrödinger operator consists of at most two (closed) intervals. Furthermore, if at least one period is odd, then the spectrum is a single interval. However, if all periods are even, it it can happen that the spectrum is the union of two disjoint closed intervals.