Noncommutative transforms and free pluriharmonic functions (Q2519766)

Let \(H_n\) be an \(n\)-dimensional complex Hilbert space and \(F^2(H_n)\) the full Fock space of \(H_n\). The author associates to any operator \(A\in B({\mathcal E}\otimes F^2(H_n))\) (\(\mathcal E\) is a Hilbert space) which is multi-Toeplitz with respect to the right creation operators \(R_1,\dots,R_n\) on \(F^2(H_n)\) a formal Fourier series defined in terms of the left creation operators \(S_1,\dots,S_n\) on \(F^2(H_n)\) and having coefficients in \(B({\mathcal E})\). It is shown that any such multi-Toeplitz operator is determined by its Fourier series and can be recaptured from it. As a consequence, the set of all multi-Toeplitz operators on \({\mathcal E}\otimes F^2(H_n)\) coincides with the closure (in both the weak and strong operator topology) of the set \({\mathcal A}_n({\mathcal E})^*+{\mathcal A}_n({\mathcal E})\), where \({\mathcal A}_n({\mathcal E}):=B({\mathcal E})\bigotimes_{\min}{\mathcal A}_n\) and \({\mathcal A}_n\) is the noncommutative disc algebra generated by \(S_1,\dots,S_n\) and the identity [introduced in \textit{G.\,Popescu}, Math.\ Scand.\ 68, No.\,2, 292--304 (1991; Zbl 0774.46033)]. The main topic of the paper under review is the the study of free pluriharmonic functions (i.e., functions of the form \(H_1+iH_2\), where \(H_1,H_2\) are real parts of free holomorphic functions) on the noncommutative open unit ball \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_1\) (\(\mathcal H\) is a Hilbert space) and their boundary behavior. An important role towards this study is played by a noncommutative Berezin transform (which generalizes the noncommutative Poisson transform introduced in [\textit{G.\,Popescu}, J.~Funct.\ Anal.\ 161, No.\,1, 27--61 (1999; Zbl 0933.46070)] associated with a completely bounded linear map on \(B(F^2(H_n))\). Some basic properties of the free pluriharmonic functions on \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_1\) are obtained: the fact that such a function is uniquely determined by the Poisson mean value property and the radial function, a Weierstrass type convergence theorem for the vector space of all free pluriharmonic functions on the ball \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_\gamma\), \(\gamma>0\), a Harnack type convergence theorem for increasing sequences of free pluriharmonic functions and a maximum (resp., minimum) principle. The author characterizes the set of all bounded free pluriharmonic functions on \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_1\) in terms of the boundary functions in \(\overline{{\mathcal A}_n({\mathcal E})^*+{\mathcal A}_n({\mathcal E})}^{\text{SOT}}\) and obtains a Fatou type result which extends the \(F_n^\infty\)-functional calculus for pure row contractions [\textit{G.\,Popescu}, Mich.\ Math.\ J.\ 42, No.\,2, 345--356 (1995; Zbl 0876.47016)]. The Dirichlet extension problem for free pluriharmonic (resp., \(C^*\)-harmonic) functions is solved. A maximum principle for such functions follows as a consequence. Noncommutative versions of Fantappiè, Herglotz and Poisson transforms associated with completely bounded maps on the operator system \({\mathcal R}_n^*+{\mathcal R}_n\) (or \(B(F^2(H_n))\)) (here, \({\mathcal R}_n\) is the noncommutative disc algebra generated by \(R_1,\dots,R_n\) and the identity) are introduced. These transforms are used to characterize the set \(\text{Hol}^+(B({\mathcal H})^n_1)\) of all free holomorphic functions on the noncommutative unit ball with positive real part. As consequences, a noncommutative Herglotz--Riesz representation for functions in \(\text{Hol}^+(B({\mathcal H})^n_1)\), as well as a Naimark type result concerning the geometric structure of \(\text{Hol}^+(B({\mathcal H})^n_1)\) are presented. The class of all free pluriharmonic functions on \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_1\) with coefficients in \(B({\mathcal E})\) that can be represented as noncommutative Poisson transforms of completely bounded \(B({\mathcal E})\)-valued linear maps on \({\mathcal R}_n^*+{\mathcal R}_n\) is characterized. This class can be endowed with a Banach space structure. In the final part, the author solves the Carathéodory interpolation problem for free holomorphic functions on \([B({\mathcal H})^n]_1\) with positive real parts and shows that it is equivalent to the Carathéodory-Fejér interpolation problem for multi-analytic operators [\textit{G.\,Popescu}, Math.\ Ann.\ 303, No.\,1, 31--46 (1995; Zbl 0835.47015)] and to the Carathéodory interpolation problem for positive-definite multi-Toeplitz kernels on free semigroups [\textit{G.\,Popescu}, J.~Math.\ Anal.\ Appl.\ 254, No.\,1, 191--218 (2001; Zbl 0987.47014)]. The proof uses a noncommutative Cayley type transform acting on formal power series.