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Abstract

Let $\Omega$ be a bounded open planar domain with smooth connected boundary, $\Gamma$, that has been partitioned into two disjoint components, $\Gamma = \Gamma_S \sqcup \Gamma_N$. We consider the Steklov-Neumann eigenproblem on $\Omega$, where a harmonic function is sought that satisfies the Steklov boundary condition on $\Gamma_S$ and the Neumann boundary condition on $\Gamma_N$. We pose the extremal eigenvalue problems (EEPs) of minimizing/maximizing the $k$-th non-trivial Steklov-Neumann eigenvalue among boundary partitions of prescribed measure. We formulate a relaxation of these EEPs in terms of weighted Steklov eigenvalues where an $L^\infty(\Gamma)$ density replaces the boundary partition. For these relaxed EEPs, we establish existence, prove optimality conditions, show that the maximization problem is convex for $k=1$ and non-convex for $k\geq 2$, and establish symmetry properties for the maximizing densities for $k=1$. We also prove a homogenization result that allows us to use solutions to the relaxed EEPs to infer properties of solutions to the original EEPs. For a disk, we provide numerical and asymptotic evidence that the minimizing arrangement of $\Gamma_S\sqcup \Gamma_N$ for the $k$-th eigenvalue consists of $k+1$ connected components that are symmetrically arranged on the boundary. For a disk, we prove that for $k = 1$, the constant density is a maximizer for the relaxed problem; we also provide numerical and asymptotic evidence that for $k\ge 2$, the maximizing density for the relaxed problem is a non-trivial function; a sequence of rapidly oscillating Steklov/Neumann boundary conditions approach the supremum value.