Related papers: Maximal and Borel Anosov representations in $Sp(4,…

We prove that generic Hitchin representations are strongly dense: every pair of non commuting elements in their image generate a Zariski-dense subgroup of SL_n(R). The proof uses a theorem of Rapinchuk, Benyash-Krivetz and Chernousov, to…

We use Higgs bundles to answer the following question: When can a maximal Sp(4,R)-representation of a surface group be deformed to a representation which factors through a proper reductive subgroup of Sp(4,R)?

If $\Gamma<\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{C})$ is a lattice, we define an invariant of a representation $\Gamma\rightarrow \mathrm{PSL}(n,\mathbb{C})$ using the Borel class $\beta(n)\in…

A real algebraic variety is maximal (with respect to the Smith-Thom inequality) if the sum of the Betti numbers (with $\mathbb{Z}_2$ coefficients) of the real part of the variety is equal to the sum of Betti numbers of its complex part. We…

We establish a gluing construction for Higgs bundles over a connected sum of Riemann surfaces in terms of solutions to the $\text{Sp(4}\text{,}\mathbb{R}\text{)}$-Hitchin equations using the linearization of a relevant elliptic operator.…

We prove that every unstable equivariant minimal surface in $\mathbb{R}^n$ produces a maximal representation of a surface group into $\prod_{i=1}^n\textrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{R})$ together with an unstable minimal surface in the corresponding…

We complete the classification of maximal representations of uniform complex hyperbolic lattices in Hermitian Lie groups by dealing with the exceptional groups ${\rm E}_6$ and ${\rm E}_7$. We prove that if $\rho$ is a maximal representation…

We define a new family of discrete representations of relatively hyperbolic groups which unifies many existing definitions and examples of geometrically finite behavior in higher rank. The definition includes the relative Anosov…

Let $BS(1,n)= <a,b : a b a ^{-1} = b ^n>$ be the solvable Baumslag-Solitar group, where $n \geq 2$. We study representations of $BS(1, n)$ by homeomorphisms of closed surfaces with (pseudo-)Anosov elements. That is, we consider a closed…

We define a Toledo number for actions of surface groups and complex hyperbolic lattices on infinite dimensional Hermitian symmetric spaces, which allows us to define maximal representations. When the target is not of tube type we show that…

In this article, we single out representations of surface groups into $\mathsf{PSL}_d(\mathbb{C})$ which generalize the well-studied family of pleated surfaces into $\mathsf{PSL}_2(\mathbb{C})$. Our representations arise as sufficiently…

In this paper, by using Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem, we obtain a formula for the signature of a flat symplectic vector bundle over a surface with boundary, which is related to the Toledo invariant of a surface group representation in…

For $\textrm{SL}(n,\mathbb{R})$ ($n\geq3$), $\textrm{SO}(n+1,n)$ ($n\geq2$), $\textrm{Sp}(2n,\mathbb{R})$ ($n\geq2$) and for the adjoint real split form of the exceptional group $\textrm{G}_2$, we exhibit non-uniform lattices in which we…

Given an Anosov representation $\rho \colon \pi_1(S) \to \PSL_{n}(\mathbb{R})$ and a maximal geodesic lamination $\lambda$ in a surface $S$, we construct shear deformations along the leaves of the geodesic lamination $\lambda$ endowed with…

We study the geometry of hyperconvex representations of surface groups in ${\rm PSL}(d,\mathbb{C})$ and their deformation spaces: We produce a natural holomorphic extension of the classical Ahlfors--Bers map to a product of Teichm\"uller…

Let S be a closed orientable surface of genus at least 2 and let G be a semisimple real algebraic group of non-compact type. We consider a class of representations from the fundamental group of S to G called positively ratioed…

We construct for each conformal structure on a closed orientable surface of genus at least 2 a proper slice in the character variety of representations of the associated surface group into SL(3,R) that belongs to the Barbot component and…

For any maximal surface group representation into $\mathrm{SO}_0(2,n+1)$, we introduce a non-degenerate scalar product on the the first cohomology group of the surface with values in the associated flat bundle. In particular, it gives rise…

Let $\mathbb F$ be a real closed field. We define the notion of a maximal framing for a representation of the fundamental group of a surface with values in ${\rm Sp}(2n,\mathbb F)$. We show that ultralimits of maximal representations in…

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…