[Math] A operator is unitary if and only if it is a surjective isometry

functional-analysishilbert-spacesoperator-theory

I'm trying to prove the following result.

Let U be an operator of a Hilbert space H, then $U$ is an unitary operator $\iff$ $U$ is an isometry and $R_u = H$ ($U$ is onto and isometry)

I tried to use the fact that $U$ is a linear operator and the fact that $U^*U=I$ defines an isometry but I couldn't proceed.

Best Answer

Let $U$ be a unitary, then $UU^*=U^*U=1$.

$U^*U=1$ implies that $U$ is an isometry. Also $UU^*=1 $ implies that $U$ is onto, because ($UU^*H=H$).

Conversely, Suppose $U$ is an onto isometry, so $U^*U=1$. It's just necessary to show that $UU^* = 1$. If $\eta\in H$, then there is $\xi\in H$ such that $U\xi=\eta$ ($U $ is onto). Also $U$ is an isometry, so $ \xi=U^*U\xi = U^*\eta$ .Now clearly $UU^*\eta = U\xi =\eta$ for $\eta \in H$. Therefore $UU^*=1$.

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