On the Shape Sensitivity of the First Dirichlet Eigenvalue for Two-Phase Problems

We consider a two-phase problem in thermal conductivity: inclusions filled with a material of conductivity σ 1 are layered in a body of conductivity σ 2. We address the shape sensitivity of the first eigenvalue associated with Dirichlet boundary conditions when both the boundaries of the inclusions and the body can be modified. We prove a differentiability result and provide the expressions of the first and second order derivatives. We apply the results to the optimal design of an insulated body. We prove the stability of the optimal design thanks to a second order analysis. We also continue the study of an extremal eigenvalue problem for a two-phase conductor in a ball initiated by Conca et al. (Appl. Math. Optim. 60(2):173–184, 2009) and pursued in Conca et al. (CANUM 2008, ESAIM Proc., vol. 27, pp. 311–321, EDP Sci., Les Ulis, 2009).