On operator inequalities and linear combinations of operators (Q5905393)

The paper discusses the inequality \[ A_ 1PA_ 1^*+\dots+A_ k PA_ k^*\geq CPC^*,\leqno (*) \] where \(A_ 1,\dots,A_ k\), \(C\), and \(P\) are bounded linear operators on a Hilbert space \(H\). In Section 1, it is shown that (*) holds for all \(P\geq0\) iff there exists the scalars \(a_ 1(x),\dots,a_ k(x)\) satisfying \(| a_ 1(x)|^ 2+\dots+| a_ k(x)|^ 2\leq 1\) and \(Cx=a_ 1(x)A_ 1x+\dots+a_ k(x)A_ kx\) for all \(x\) in \(H\). Sections 2 and 3 are devoted to some related topics. Especially, a question by \textit{J. Hou} [Sci. China, Ser. A 32, No. 8, 929-940 (1989; Zbl 0686.47030)] is solved in Section 3.