6533b833fe1ef96bd129b947

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Sharp Poincaré inequalities in a class of non-convex sets

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Let $gamma$ be a smooth, non-closed, simple curve whose image is symmetric with respect to the $y$-axis, and let $D$ be a planar domain consisting of the points on one side of $gamma$, within a suitable distance $delta$ of $gamma$. Denote by $mu_1^{odd}(D)$ the smallest nontrivial Neumann eigenvalue having a corresponding eigenfunction that is odd with respect to the $y$-axis. If $gamma$ satisfies some simple geometric conditions, then $mu_1^{odd}(D)$ can be sharply estimated from below in terms of the length of $gamma$ , its curvature, and $delta$. Moreover, we give explicit conditions on $delta$ that ensure $mu_1^{odd}(D)=mu_1(D)$. Finally, we can extend our bound on $mu_1^{odd}(D)$ to a certain class of three-dimensional domains. In both the two- and three-dimensional settings, our domains are generically non-convex.