Similarity problems in noncommutative polydomains

In this paper we consider several problems of joint similarity to tuples of bounded linear operators in noncommutative polydomains and varieties associated with sets of noncommutative polynomials. We obtain analogues of classical results such as Rota's model theorem for operators with spectral radius less than one, Sz.-Nagy characterization of operators similar to isometries (or unitary operators), and the refinement obtained by Foias and by de Branges and Rovnyak for strongly stable contractions. We also provide analogues of these results in the context of joint similarity of commuting tuples of positive linear maps on the algebra of bounded linear operators on a separable Hilbert space. An important role in this paper is played by a class of noncommutative cones associated with positive linear maps, the Fourier type representation of their elements, and the constrained noncommutative Berezin transforms associated with these elements. It is shown that there is an intimate relation between the similarity problems and the existence of positive invertible elements in these noncommutative cones and the corresponding Berezin kernels. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.