Radial pinching and topological rigidity for free boundary Gaussian $f$-minimal submanifolds

Abstract: Let $M^k\subset \overline{B}<em>R<sup>N$ be a smooth compact connected orientable free boundary $f_c$-minimal submanifold of the closed Euclidean ball, where $f_c(x)=c|x|<sup>2/2$ and $c\ge 0$. Assume that $cR^2\le k$ and $$|A</em>{x^{\perp}|^2\le} 1+\frac{1}{k-1}(1-c|x<sup>\perp|<sup>2)<sup>2$$, where $$A_{x^{\perp}(X,Y)=\langle} x<sup>\perp,A(X,Y)\rangle$$. We prove that $M$ is diffeomorphic either to $D<sup>k$ or to $S^1\times D<sup>{k-1}$; strict pinching yields the disk. The proof uses Hessian convexity of the squared-distance function, a nullity estimate along its minimum set, and a sublevel-set argument. In dimension two and codimension one, the non-disk branch is rotationally symmetric. We also construct a local family of embedded rotational examples for small $c\ge 0$, with the $c=0$ member equal to the critical catenoid.