Representations of complex hyperbolic lattices into rank 2 classical Lie groups of Hermitian type (Q956699)

This paper studies the deformations of compact complex hyperbolic manifolds of complex dimension \(m > 1\) inside Hermitian symmetric spaces of noncompact type. That is, let \(\Gamma\) be a torsionfree cocompact (uniform) lattice in \(SU(m,1)\), and let \(G\) be \(SU(p,2)\) with \(p>2\), \(Sp(2,\mathbb R)\), or \(SO(p,2)\) with \(p\geq 3\). Associated to a representation \(\rho:\Gamma\longrightarrow G\) is the Toledo invariant, \(\tau(\rho)\) which is a discrete scalar invariant, satisfying a bound generalizing the Milnor-Wood inequality. Furthermore \(\tau(\rho)\) is maximized for the representation \(\Gamma\longrightarrow G\) obtained by composing the inclusion \(\Gamma\hookrightarrow SU(m,1)\) with an embedding \(SU(m,1)\hookrightarrow G\) corresponding to a totally geodesic holomorphic embedding \(H^m_{\mathbb C} \hookrightarrow G/K\). Here the symmetric space \(G/K\) is a classical bounded symmetric domain of rank \(2\). The main result is a converse: \(\tau(\rho)\) is maximized if and only if \(\rho\) is conjugate to such an embedding. This result extends the case when \(G=SU(n,1)\) (\textit{D. Toledo} [J. Differ. Geom. 29, No.~1, 125--133 (1989; Zbl 0676.57012)] and \textit{W. M. Goldman} [Discontinuous groups and the Euler class, Thesis, Univ. of California (1980)] when \(n=1\)); the analogous question for other unitary groups \(U(p,q)\) had been established by \textit{S. B. Bradlow, O. García-Prada} and \textit{P. B. Gothen} [J. Differ. Geom. 64, No.~1, 111--170 (2003; Zbl 1070.53054)] and \textit{M. Burger, A. Iozzi} and \textit{A. Wienhard} [C. R., Math., Acad. Sci. Paris 336, No.~5, 387--390 (2003; Zbl 1035.32013)]. In particular a maximal representation in this case corresponds to an embedding \(SU(p,2) \hookrightarrow G\) (where \(p\geq 2m\)) and \(\rho\) is a discrete reductive embedding stabilizing an embedding of \(H^m_{\mathbb C} \hookrightarrow SU(p,2)/S(U(p)\times U(2))\) as holomorphic totally geodesic submanifold (of maximum possible holomorphic sectional curvature) in \(G/K\). The methods use Higgs bundle techniques similar to [Bradlow, García-Prada and Gothen (op. cit.); Geom. Dedicata 122, 185--213 (2006; Zbl 1132.14029)], first pioneered by \textit{K. Corlette} [J. Differ. Geom. 28, No.~3, 361--382 (1988; Zbl 0676.58007], \textit{N. J. Hitchin} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 55, 59--126 (1987; Zbl 0634.53045); Topology 31, No.~3, 449--473 (1992; Zbl 0769.32008)] and \textit{C. T. Simpson} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 1, No.~4, 867--918 (1988; Zbl 0669.58008); Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 75, 5--95 (1992; Zbl 0814.32003)]. Results in the non-uniform case had been proved earlier by the authors in [Ann. Inst. Fourier 58, No.~2, 507--558 (2008; Zbl 1147.22009)].