Related papers: Maximal Sp(4,R) surface group representations, min…

This paper is a survey on the role of Higgs bundle theory in the study of higher Teichm\"uller spaces. Recall that the Teichm\"uller space of a compact surface can be identified with a certain connected component of the moduli space of…

We introduce a type of minimal surface in the pseudo-hyperbolic space $\mathbb{H}^{n,n}$ (with $n$ even) or $\mathbb{H}^{n+1,n-1}$ (with $n$ odd) associated to cyclic $\mathrm{SO}_0(n,n+1)$-Higg bundles. By establishing the infinitesimal…

In this paper, we study the geometric and dynamical properties of maximal representations of surface groups into Hermitian Lie groups of rank 2. Combining tools from Higgs bundle theory, the theory of Anosov representations, and…

We give a new lower bound on the number of connected components of the space of representations of a surface group into the group of orientation preserving homeomorphisms of the circle. Precisely, for the fundamental group of a genus g…

In this paper we introduce complex minimal Lagrangian surfaces in the bi-complex hyperbolic space and study their relation with representations in $\mathrm{SL}(3,\mathbb{C})$. Our theory generalizes at the same time minimal Lagrangian…

We prove that if $\Sigma$ is a closed surface of genus at least 3 and $G$ is a split real semisimple Lie group of rank at least $3$ acting faithfully by isometries on a symmetric space $N$, then there exists a Hitchin representation…

We study the character variety of representations of the fundamental group of a closed surface of genus $g\geq2$ into the Lie group SO(n,n+1) using Higgs bundles. For each integer $0<d\leq n(2g-2),$ we show there is a smooth connected…

We study the Hitchin component in the space of representations of the fundamental group of a Riemann surface into a split real simple Lie group in the rank 2 case. We prove that such representations are described by a conformal structure…

Using the Morse-theoretic techniques introduced by Hitchin, we prove that the moduli space of $\Sp(2p,2q)$-Higgs bundles over a compact Riemann surface of genus $g\geq 2$ is connected. In particular, this implies that the moduli space of…

We give an overview of the work of Corlette, Donaldson, Hitchin and Simpson leading to the non-abelian Hodge theory correspondence between representations of the fundamental group of a surface and the moduli space of Higgs bundles. We then…

In this article we introduce a definition for the moduli space of equivariant minimal immersions of the Poincar\'e disc into a non-compact symmetric space, where the equivariance is with respect to representations of the fundamental group…

Given a closed, oriented surface X of genus g>1, and a semisimple Lie group G, let R_G be the moduli space of reductive representations of the fundamental group of X in G. We determine the number of connected components of R_PGL(n,R), for…

We prove that any Borel Anosov representations of a surface group into $Sp(4,\mathbb{R})$ that has maximal Toledo invariant must be Hitchin. We also prove that a representation of a surface group into $Sp(2n,\mathbb{R})$ that is…

This paper unites the gauge-theoretic and hyperbolic-geometric perspectives on the asymptotic geometry of the character variety of SL(2,C) representations of a surface group. Specifically, we find an asymptotic correspondence between the…

The spinor representation is developed for conformal immersions of Riemann surfaces into space. We adapt the approach of Dennis Sullivan, which treats a spin structure on a Riemann surface M as a complex line bundle S whose square is the…

Considering an integer $d>0$, we show the existence of convex-cocompactrepresentations of surface groups into SO(4,1) admitting an embedded minimal map withcurvatures in $(-1,1)$ and whose associated hyperbolic 4-manifolds are disk bundles…

Recall that the group $PSL(2,\mathbb R)$ is isomorphic to $PSp(2,\mathbb R),\ SO_0(1,2)$ and $PU(1,1).$ The goal of this paper is to examine the various ways in which Fuchsian representations of the fundamental group of a closed surface of…

We introduce a new class of $\mathfrak{sl}_2$-triples in a complex simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, which we call magical. Such an $\mathfrak{sl}_2$-triple canonically defines a real form and various decompositions of $\mathfrak{g}$.…

In this article we give a geometric interpretation of the Hitchin component for PSL(4,R) in the representation variety of a closed oriented surface of higher genus. We show that representations in the Hitchin component are precisely the…

Some connected components of a moduli space are mundane in the sense that they are distinguished only by obvious topological invariants or have no special characteristics. Others are more alluring and unusual either because they are not…