Handle addition for doubly-periodic Scherk surfaces

Abstract

We prove the existence of a family of embedded doubly periodic minimal surfaces of (quotient) genus g with orthogonal ends that generalizes the classical doubly periodic surface of Scherk and the genus-one Scherk surface of Karcher. The proof of the family of immersed surfaces is by induction on genus, while the proof of embeddedness is by the conjugate Plateau method.