# Best algorithm for finding the smallest eigenvalue of positive semidefinite matrix?

I have a (complex) $n\times n$ positive semidefinite matrix $Q$, need to find its smallest eigenvalue, and want to know the most computationally efficient method of doing so. It would be nice if the method is also stable against round-off errors, but my main interest at the moment is in efficiency. There are methods that find all eigenvalues and eigenvectors, such as transforming to tridiagonal form and then using QR/QL decomposition, but all I need is this one eigenvalue so am hoping there is something more efficient.

In general terms, I want to know if the nullspace of $Q$ is empty, and if so, how 'close' it is to being non-empty, that distance being 'measured' by the size of that smallest eigenvalue. (We can assume that $Tr(Q)=1$.)

P.S. A reference would also be much appreciated, if available.

• You don't need eigenvalues for that problem. Rank revealing decomposition may be what you need – uranix Nov 24 '16 at 20:56

The sequence $v,A^{-1}v,A^{-2}v,…$ converges linearly towards the eigenvector of the smallest eigenvalue with a speed that is the ration of the two smallest eigenvalues. $v$ should be random enough to not be orthogonal to the searched for eigenspace.