Solution (source code)

= Solution

The <Bourgain embedding theorem> states that every $n$-point metric space embeds into a Hilbert space with distortion at most $C\log n$; the random-subset construction may be taken to have dimension $O((\log n)^2)$.

We use the following finite <Frechet embedding> lemma. For every integer $q\geq2$, an $n$-point metric space $X$ has subsets $A_1,\ldots,A_k$ such that
$$
k\leq Cq n^{1/q}\log n
$$
and, for every $x,y\in X$, some $A_i$ satisfies
$$
|d(x,A_i)-d(y,A_i)|\geq\frac{d(x,y)}{2q-1}.
$$
Here is the probabilistic proof. Put $\vartheta=n^{-1/q}$. For every level $i=1,\ldots,q$, independently form
$$
m=\lceil24\vartheta^{-1}\log n\rceil
$$
random subsets $A_{i,j}$ by including each point with probability $p_i=\min\{1/2,n^{-i/q}\}$.

Fix $x,y$ and put $\Delta=d(x,y)/(2q-1)$. Form $q+1$ open balls $B_0,\ldots,B_q$ by taking $B_t$ to have radius $t\Delta$ and center $x$ for even $t$ and $y$ for odd $t$. Consecutive balls are disjoint because their radii sum to at most $(2q-1)\Delta=d(x,y)$. Partition the cardinality interval $[1,n]$ into
$$
[n^{(i-1)/q},n^{i/q}],
\qquad i=1,\ldots,q.
$$
Among the $q+1$ cardinalities $|B_t|$, either two consecutive ones lie in one interval, or some consecutive pair decreases. In either case there are $i,t$ such that, after orienting the pair appropriately,
$$
|B_t|\geq n^{(i-1)/q},
\qquad |B_{t+1}|\leq n^{i/q}.
$$
At level $i$, a random set hits $B_t$ with probability at least $\vartheta/3$ and misses the disjoint $B_{t+1}$ with probability at least $1/4$. These events are independent, and when both occur the two distance-to-set values differ by at least $\Delta$. Thus one sample succeeds with probability at least $\vartheta/12$. All $m$ samples at that level fail with probability at most
$$
(1-\vartheta/12)^m\leq n^{-2}.
$$
A union bound over the fewer than $n^2/2$ unordered pairs leaves a simultaneous successful choice. There are $qm\leq Cqn^{1/q}\log n$ coordinates, proving the lemma.

Define
$$
F:X\longrightarrow\ell_\infty^k,
\qquad F(x)=(d(x,A_i))_{i=1}^k.
$$
Every distance-to-set coordinate is one-Lipschitz, while the lemma supplies the lower bound. Hence
$$
\frac1{2q-1}d(x,y)\leq\|F(x)-F(y)\|_\infty\leq d(x,y),
$$
proving the <Low-dimensional Frechet embedding into linfinity>.

Take $q=\lceil\log n\rceil$. Then $n^{1/q}\leq e$, $k=O((\log n)^2)$, and the distortion into $\ell_\infty^k$ is $O(\log n)$. Since
$$
\|v\|_\infty\leq\|v\|_2\leq\sqrt{k}\|v\|_\infty,
$$
the identity $\ell_\infty^k\to\ell_2^k$ has distortion $O(\log n)$. Composition gives
$$
\boxed{c_2(n)=O((\log n)^2)}.
$$

Finally let a $d$-regular expander $G$ embed into $\ell_\infty^k$ with distortion at most $\alpha$. For $1<p<\infty$, the identity
$$
\ell_\infty^k\longrightarrow\ell_p^k
$$
has distortion at most $k^{1/p}$. Therefore the assumed lower bound gives
$$
\frac{C\log n}{p}\leq c_p(G)\leq\alpha k^{1/p}.
$$
For $k\geq e^2$, choose $p=\log k$, so $k^{1/p}=e$ and
$$
\log k\geq\frac C{e\alpha}\log n.
$$
Adjusting the constant handles bounded $k$, and exponentiation proves the <Dimension lower bound for an expander embedded in linfinity>
$$
\boxed{k\geq n^{c/\alpha}},
$$
where $c>0$ depends only on $d$ and $h$.