Global controllability of the Cahn-Hilliard equation

Abstract: This paper deals with the global control properties of the Cahn-Hilliard equation posed on the $d$-dimensional flat torus $\mathbb{T}^d$. We first prove that the system is small-time globally approximately controllable using a control supported on finitely many Fourier modes, following an approach based on geometric control theory techniques. Next, we show that the corresponding linearized problem is null-controllable with a localized control, where the control region is an arbitrary measurable set of positive Lebesgue measure. Our analysis is based on quantitative propagation of smallness estimates for the free solution. Furthermore, when $d\in {1,2,3},$ we ensure the local null controllability for the nonlinear system via a fixed-point argument. Finally, by combining these two results, we establish the global null controllability of the Cahn-Hilliard equation. In the first phase, the control is localized in Fourier modes, whereas in the second phase, it is spatially localized on a set of positive Lebesgue measure.