On feedback stabilisation for the Cahn-Hilliard equation and its numerical approximation

We consider the stabilisation of solutions to the Cahn-Hilliard equation towards a given trajectory by means of a finite-dimensional static output feedback mechanism. Exponential stabilisation of the controlled state around the target trajectory is proven using careful energy estimates and a spectral condition which characterizes the strength of the feedback. The analysis is general enough to allow for pointwise and distributed measurements and actuation. The main results are derived via arguments that carry over to appropriate discretisation schemes which allows us to establish corresponding exponential stabilisation results also on the discrete level. The validity of our results and the importance of some of our assumptions are illustrated by numerical tests.