An operator-valued Berezin transform and the class of \(n\)-hypercontractions (Q2385093)

Let \(L(H)\) be the algebra of all bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space \(H\). Then \(T\in L(H)\) is said to be an \(n\)-hypercontraction, for some \(n\geq 1\), if \[ \sum_{k=0}^m(-1)^k{\binom m k }T^{*k}T^k\geq0 \] for \(1\leq m\leq n.\) This class of operators, introduced by J. Agler, is the main object of study in the paper under review. The main tool in its investigation is an operator-valued Berezin transform associated to the reproducing kernel Hilbert space \(A_n(D)\) of analytic functions in the unit disc with reproducing kernel \(K_n(z,\zeta)=(1-\bar{\zeta}z)^{-n}\) for \(z,\zeta\in D\). When \(n\geq2\), the space \(A_n(D)\) can be identified with the weighted Bergman space of analytic functions in the unit disc which are square integrable with respect to the measure \(\mu_n\) defined by \[ d\mu_n(z)=(n-1)(1-| z| ^2)^{n-2}\,dA(z), \] where \(dA(z)\) is the normalized Lebesgue area measure on \(D\). If \(n=1\), then \(A_1(D)\) is the usual Hardy space on the unit disc and, by convention, \(\mu_1\) is the normalized arc-length measure on the circle. Let \(B_n(z,\zeta)=| K_n(z,\zeta)| ^2K_n(z,z)^{-1}=(1-| z| ^2)^n| 1-\bar{\zeta}z| ^{-2n}\) for \((z,\zeta)\in D\times \overline{D}\) be the Berezin kernel associated to the space \(A_n(D)\). Then the scalar-valued Berezin transform of a function \(f\in L^1(\mu_n)\) is defined by \[ B_n[f](z)= \int_{\overline{D}{D}} B_n(z,\zeta)f(\zeta) \,d\mu_n(\zeta),\quad z\in D. \] Suppose now that \(T\in L(H)\) is an \(n\)-hypercontraction with spectrum inside the open unit disc. Then its associated Berezin kernel is defined as \[ B_n(T,\zeta)= (I-\zeta T^*)^{-n} \left(\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k{\binom n k } T^{*k}T^k\right)(I-\bar{\zeta}T)^{-n}, \quad\zeta\in \overline{D}. \] This expression is an operator version of the Berezin kernel defined above. The operator-valued Berezin transform is then defined by \[ B_n[f](T)= \int_{\bar{D}}B_n(T,\zeta)f(\zeta)\,d\mu_n(\zeta) \] for every \(f\in C( \overline{D}).\) For an arbitrary \(n\)-hypercontraction \(T\in L(H)\), it is then associated a positive \(L(H)\)-valued operator measure \(d\omega_{n,T}\) supported on the closed unit disc which has the property that the formula \[ B_n[f](T)= \int_{\overline{D}}f(\zeta)\,d\omega_{n,T}(\zeta) \] holds true whenever the spectrum of \(T\) is inside the unit disc and \(f\in C( \overline{D}).\) These measures provide a natural functional calculus for \(n\)-hypercontractions with functions which are Berezin transforms of continuous functions on \( \overline{D}\). These constructions are then used in order to provide an alternate approach to the canonical functional models for \(n\)-hypercontractions initially devised by J. Agler. The functional model shows that every \(n\)-hypercontraction can be realized as the restriction to an invariant subspace of an operator of the form \(S_n^*\oplus U\), where \(S_n\) is the multiplication by \(z\) on a vector-valued version of the space \(A_n(D)\) and \(U\) is an isometry. The functional models are subsequently used for a more detailed analysis of the operator measures \(d\omega_{n,T}\).