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Let $\alpha$ be a real closed differential form on a Riemann surface, of finite positive conformal energy $E=\int |\alpha {|}^{2}dA$. If its period on a loop homotopy class $\gamma$ is $p$, then $\lambda (\gamma ,X)\ge p^2/E$. Indeed the conformal metric $\rho =|\alpha |$ has area $E$ and each loop in the class has length at least $|\int \alpha |=|p|$. Energy is independent of the auxiliary smooth conformal metric used to compute the pointwise norm: the inverse scaling of the squared norm cancels the area scaling.

For $q=\varphi (z)d{z}^2$, the length element is $|\varphi (z){|}^{1/2}|dz|$, locally Euclidean in flat coordinates. Zeros give cone points, not punctures. Its infimal length in a homotopy class need not determine the hyperbolic length of that class.

Use the closed genus $g\ge 2$ version of Teichmüller's uniqueness theorem. Let $f_0:X\to Y$ be a Teichmüller map: for a nonzero holomorphic quadratic differential $q$, normalized by ${\int }_X|q|=1$, and $0<k_0<1$,The value at a zero of $q$ is irrelevant to the Beltrami coefficient, which is defined almost everywhere. For every quasiconformal map $f:X\to Y$ preserving orientation and homotopic to $f_0$, the conclusion isThe normalized $q$ is also uniquely determined when $k_0>0$.

We use the following analytic input, stated with its hypotheses. The Reich–Strebel inequality says that if $f_0$ has the displayed Beltrami coefficient and a competitor $f$ has the same target and homotopy class, then, for $\mu ={\mu }_f$,This is the standard fundamental inequality for an integrable holomorphic quadratic differential; it also holds on a finite-type punctured surface with the homotopy fixing the punctures. Its formulation is given in Gardiner and Hu, §5. We quote this analytic inequality as the lecture result used in the proof.

Put $k=\Vert \mu {\Vert }_{\infty }$. Pointwise, away from the isolated zeros of $q$,Integrating against the probability density function $|q|$ proves $K_0\le K(f)$. If $K(f)=K_0$, all these inequalities are equalities almost everywhere. The strictly increasing last function forces $|\mu |=k_0$ almost everywhere; equality in the triangle inequality then forces $\mu q/|q|=k_0$. ThereforeTwo quasiconformal maps with the same Beltrami coefficient differ by postcomposition with a biholomorphism, by the local chain rule for the Beltrami equation. Consequently $h=f\circ f_0^{-1}$ is a biholomorphism from $Y$ to itself homotopic to the identity.

For completeness, such a biholomorphism is the identity when $g\ge 2$. Apply the uniformization theorem and choose the lift of the homotopy to $\mathbb{H}$ starting at the identity. Its endpoint lift $\tilde{h}$ commutes with every deck transformation. It is a real Möbius transformation. The compact quotient has no parabolic Möbius transformations in its deck group, and freeness excludes elliptic Möbius transformations. Two distinct hyperbolic axes exist: a discrete free group preserving just one axis would be cyclic, contradicting the fundamental group of a closed surface of genus at least two. Commutation with two deck transformations represented by hyperbolic Möbius transformations having distinct axes makes it fix their boundary endpoints individually; there are at least three such endpoints. A Möbius transformation fixing three points is the identity. Hence $h=\mathrm{id}$ and $f=f_0$.

If $q_1$ is another unit-area differential for the same map, then $|q_1|/q_1=|q|/q$, so $q_1/q$ is positive real wherever defined. This meromorphic function is constant by the open mapping theorem, and normalization makes the constant one. Without normalization, positive multiples of $q$ describe the same map. At $k_0=0$, uniqueness of the map still holds in genus at least two, but there is no distinguished $q$. In genus one, translations supply nontrivial biholomorphisms homotopic to the identity, so equality determines the map only up to those biholomorphisms; the genus hypothesis cannot be omitted.

A collection of locally rectifiable paths, specified by their endpoints, winding or homotopy class when useful. Its extremal length compares its shortest metric length with total metric area.

On closed Riemann surfaces of genus at least two, if a Teichmüller map $f_0:X\to Y$ has unit-area source differential $q$ and dilatation $K_0$, any quasiconformal map $f:X\to Y$ in the same homotopy class satisfies $K_0\le {\int }_X|q||1+{\mu }_{f}q/|q|{|}^2/(1-|{\mu }_f{|}^2)$. The plus sign corresponds to a Teichmüller map with ${\mu }_{f_0}=k_0|q|/q$ and $K_0=(1+k_0)/(1-k_0)$. This fundamental inequality yields Teichmüller's uniqueness theorem by the pointwise triangle inequality and its equality case. See Gardiner and Hu, §5, equation (11).

On a closed genus-at-least-two Riemann surface, a Teichmüller map uniquely minimizes maximal dilatation in its homotopy class among maps to the same target. The Reich–Strebel inequality forces equality of Beltrami coefficients for an extremal competitor; their conformal difference is homotopic to the identity and hence is the identity. In genus one, translations must be factored out.