Norm attaining dual truncated Toeplitz operators

Abstract

This paper develops a complete framework for understanding when a dual truncated Toeplitz operator (DTTO) attains its norm. Given a nonconstant inner function $u$, the DTTO associated with a symbol $\varphi \in L^{\infty}(\mathbb{T})$ acts on the orthogonal complement ${\mathcal{K}_u}^{\perp} = uH^{2} \oplus H^{2}_{-}$ of the model space $\mathcal{K}_u = H^{2}\ominus uH^{2}$. Assuming $\|\varphi\|_{\infty}=1$, we give a characterization of the norm attaining property of $D_{\varphi}$ and describe all extremal vectors. A sharp analytic and coanalytic dichotomy emerges $D_{\varphi}$ attains its norm precisely when the symbol admits either $\varphi=\overline{u}\overline{\psi}_{+}\chi_{+}$ or $\varphi=u\psi_{-}\overline{\chi}_{-},$ where $\psi_{\pm},\chi_{\pm}$ are inner functions. The first condition corresponds to norm attainment on the analytic component $uH^{2}$, while the second corresponds to norm attainment on the coanalytic component $H^{2}_{-}$ via the natural conjugation $C_{u}$. A key feature of the theory is that the dual compressed shift $D_{u}$ (the case $\varphi(z)=z$) always attains its norm. We also obtain a coupled Toeplitz, Hankel system governing analytic and coanalytic components of extremal vectors, and provide several concrete examples including nonanalytic unimodular symbols illustrating how the factorization criteria govern norm attainment.