diff --git a/src/analysis/inner_product_space/positive.lean b/src/analysis/inner_product_space/positive.lean
index 3b7e86b17d114..af264be0e91bf 100644
--- a/src/analysis/inner_product_space/positive.lean
+++ b/src/analysis/inner_product_space/positive.lean
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
 Authors: Anatole Dedecker
 -/
 import analysis.inner_product_space.adjoint
+import analysis.inner_product_space.spectrum
 
 /-!
 # Positive operators
@@ -13,11 +14,20 @@ of requiring self adjointness in the definition.
 
 ## Main definitions
 
+for linear maps:
+* `is_positive` : a linear map is positive if it is symmetric and `∀ x, 0 ≤ re ⟪T x, x⟫`
+
+for continuous linear maps:
 * `is_positive` : a continuous linear map is positive if it is self adjoint and
   `∀ x, 0 ≤ re ⟪T x, x⟫`
 
 ## Main statements
 
+for linear maps:
+* `linear_map.is_positive.conj_adjoint` : if `T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E` and `E` is a finite-dimensional space,
+  then for any `S : E →ₗ[𝕜] F`, we have `S.comp (T.comp S.adjoint)` is also positive.
+
+for continuous linear maps:
 * `continuous_linear_map.is_positive.conj_adjoint` : if `T : E →L[𝕜] E` is positive,
   then for any `S : E →L[𝕜] F`, `S ∘L T ∘L S†` is also positive.
 * `continuous_linear_map.is_positive_iff_complex` : in a ***complex*** hilbert space,
@@ -32,23 +42,317 @@ of requiring self adjointness in the definition.
 
 Positive operator
 -/
-
-open inner_product_space is_R_or_C continuous_linear_map
+open inner_product_space is_R_or_C
 open_locale inner_product complex_conjugate
 
+variables {𝕜 E F : Type*} [is_R_or_C 𝕜]
+  [normed_add_comm_group E] [normed_add_comm_group F]
+  [inner_product_space 𝕜 E] [inner_product_space 𝕜 F]
+
+local notation `⟪`x`, `y`⟫` := @inner 𝕜 _ _ x y
+
+namespace linear_map
+
+/-- `T` is (semi-definite) **positive** if `T` is symmetric
+and `∀ x : V, 0 ≤ re ⟪x, T x⟫` -/
+def is_positive (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E) : Prop :=
+T.is_symmetric ∧ ∀ x : E, 0 ≤ re ⟪x, T x⟫
+
+lemma is_positive_zero : (0 : E →ₗ[𝕜] E).is_positive :=
+begin
+  refine ⟨is_symmetric_zero, λ x, _⟩,
+  simp_rw [zero_apply, inner_re_zero_right],
+end
+
+lemma is_positive_one : (1 : E →ₗ[𝕜] E).is_positive :=
+⟨is_symmetric_id, λ x, inner_self_nonneg⟩
+
+lemma is_positive.add {S T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E} (hS : S.is_positive) (hT : T.is_positive) :
+  (S + T).is_positive :=
+begin
+  refine ⟨is_symmetric.add hS.1 hT.1, λ x, _⟩,
+  rw [add_apply, inner_add_right, map_add],
+  exact add_nonneg (hS.2 _) (hT.2 _),
+end
+
+lemma is_positive.inner_nonneg_left {T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E} (hT : is_positive T) (x : E) :
+  0 ≤ re ⟪T x, x⟫ :=
+by { rw inner_re_symm, exact hT.2 x, }
+
+lemma is_positive.inner_nonneg_right {T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E} (hT : is_positive T) (x : E) :
+  0 ≤ re ⟪x, T x⟫ :=
+hT.2 x
+
+/-- a linear projection onto `U` along its complement `V` is positive if
+and only if `U` and `V` are orthogonal -/
+lemma linear_proj_is_positive_iff {U V : submodule 𝕜 E} (hUV : is_compl U V) :
+  (U.subtype.comp (U.linear_proj_of_is_compl V hUV)).is_positive ↔ U ⟂ V :=
+begin
+  split,
+  { intros h u hu v hv,
+    let a : U := ⟨u, hu⟩,
+    let b : V := ⟨v, hv⟩,
+    have hau : u = a := rfl,
+    have hbv : v = b := rfl,
+    rw [hau, ← submodule.linear_proj_of_is_compl_apply_left hUV a,
+        ← submodule.subtype_apply _, ← comp_apply, ← h.1 _ _,
+        comp_apply, hbv, submodule.linear_proj_of_is_compl_apply_right hUV b,
+        map_zero, inner_zero_left], },
+  { intro h,
+    have : (U.subtype.comp (U.linear_proj_of_is_compl V hUV)).is_symmetric,
+    { intros x y,
+      nth_rewrite 0 ← submodule.linear_proj_add_linear_proj_of_is_compl_eq_self hUV y,
+      nth_rewrite 1 ← submodule.linear_proj_add_linear_proj_of_is_compl_eq_self hUV x,
+      simp_rw [inner_add_right, inner_add_left, comp_apply, submodule.subtype_apply _,
+        ← submodule.coe_inner, submodule.is_ortho_iff_inner_eq.mp h _
+          (submodule.coe_mem _) _ (submodule.coe_mem _),
+        submodule.is_ortho_iff_inner_eq.mp h.symm _
+          (submodule.coe_mem _) _ (submodule.coe_mem _)], },
+    refine ⟨this, _⟩,
+    intros x,
+    rw [comp_apply, submodule.subtype_apply, ← submodule.linear_proj_of_is_compl_idempotent,
+        ← submodule.subtype_apply, ← comp_apply, ← this _ ((U.linear_proj_of_is_compl V hUV) x)],
+    exact inner_self_nonneg, },
+end
+
+/-- set over `𝕜` is **non-negative** if all its elements are real and non-negative -/
+def set.is_nonneg (A : set 𝕜) : Prop :=
+∀ x : 𝕜, x ∈ A → ↑(re x) = x ∧ 0 ≤ re x
+
+section finite_dimensional
+
+local notation `e` := is_symmetric.eigenvector_basis
+local notation `α` := is_symmetric.eigenvalues
+local notation `√` := real.sqrt
+
+/-- the spectrum of a positive linear map is non-negative -/
+lemma is_positive.nonneg_spectrum [finite_dimensional 𝕜 E] {T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E} (h : T.is_positive) :
+  (spectrum 𝕜 T).is_nonneg :=
+begin
+  cases h with hT h,
+  intros μ hμ,
+  simp_rw [← module.End.has_eigenvalue_iff_mem_spectrum] at hμ,
+  have : ↑(re μ) = μ,
+  { simp_rw [← eq_conj_iff_re],
+    exact is_symmetric.conj_eigenvalue_eq_self hT hμ, },
+  rw ← this at hμ,
+  exact ⟨this, eigenvalue_nonneg_of_nonneg hμ h⟩,
+end
+
+variables {n : ℕ} [finite_dimensional 𝕜 E] (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E)
+
+open_locale big_operators
+/-- given a symmetric linear map with a non-negative spectrum,
+we can write `T x = ∑ i, √α i • √α i • ⟪e i, x⟫` for any `x ∈ E`,
+where `α i` are the eigenvalues of `T` and `e i` are the respective eigenvectors
+that form an eigenbasis (`is_symmetric.eigenvector_basis`) -/
+lemma sq_mul_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum
+  [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) (hT : T.is_symmetric)
+  (hT1 : (spectrum 𝕜 T).is_nonneg) (v : E) :
+  T v = ∑ i, ((√ (α hT hn i) • √ (α hT hn i)) : 𝕜) • ⟪e hT hn i, v⟫ • e hT hn i :=
+begin
+  have : ∀ i : fin n, 0 ≤ α hT hn i := λ i,
+  by { specialize hT1 (hT.eigenvalues hn i),
+       simp only [of_real_re, eq_self_iff_true, true_and] at hT1,
+       apply hT1 (module.End.mem_spectrum_of_has_eigenvalue
+         (is_symmetric.has_eigenvalue_eigenvalues hT hn i)), },
+  calc T v = ∑ i, ⟪e hT hn i, v⟫ • T (e hT hn i) : _
+       ... = ∑ i, ((√ (α hT hn i) • √ (α hT hn i)) : 𝕜) • ⟪e hT hn i, v⟫ • (e hT hn i) : _,
+  simp_rw [← orthonormal_basis.repr_apply_apply, ← map_smul_of_tower, ← linear_map.map_sum,
+    orthonormal_basis.sum_repr (e hT hn) v, is_symmetric.apply_eigenvector_basis,
+    smul_smul, of_real_smul, ← of_real_mul, ← real.sqrt_mul (this _),
+    real.sqrt_mul_self (this _), mul_comm],
+end
+
+/-- given a symmetric linear map `T` and a real number `r`,
+we can define a linear map `S` such that `S = T ^ r` -/
+noncomputable def rpow [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n)
+  (hT : T.is_symmetric) (r : ℝ) : E →ₗ[𝕜] E :=
+{ to_fun := λ v, ∑ i : fin n, ((((α hT hn i : ℝ) ^ r : ℝ)) : 𝕜) • ⟪e hT hn i, v⟫ • e hT hn i,
+  map_add' := λ x y, by simp_rw [inner_add_right, add_smul, smul_add, finset.sum_add_distrib],
+  map_smul' := λ r x, by simp_rw [inner_smul_right, ← smul_smul, finset.smul_sum,
+                           ring_hom.id_apply, smul_smul, ← mul_assoc, mul_comm] }
+
+lemma rpow_apply [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n)
+  (hT : T.is_symmetric) (r : ℝ) (v : E) :
+  T.rpow hn hT r v = ∑ i : fin n, (((α hT hn i : ℝ) ^ r : ℝ) : 𝕜) • ⟪e hT hn i, v⟫ • e hT hn i :=
+rfl
+
+/-- the square root of a symmetric linear map can then directly be defined with `re_pow` -/
+noncomputable def sqrt [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n)
+  (h : T.is_symmetric) :
+  E →ₗ[𝕜] E := T.rpow hn h (1 / 2 : ℝ)
+
+/-- the square root of a symmetric linear map `T`
+is written as `T x = ∑ i, √ (α i) • ⟪e i, x⟫ • e i` for any `x ∈ E`,
+where `α i` are the eigenvalues of `T` and `e i` are the respective eigenvectors
+that form an eigenbasis (`is_symmetric.eigenvector_basis`) -/
+lemma sqrt_apply (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) [decidable_eq 𝕜]
+  (hT : T.is_symmetric) (x : E) :
+  T.sqrt hn hT x = ∑ i, (√ (α hT hn i) : 𝕜) • ⟪e hT hn i, x⟫ • e hT hn i :=
+by { simp_rw [real.sqrt_eq_rpow _], refl }
+
+/-- given a symmetric linear map `T` with a non-negative spectrum,
+the square root of `T` composed with itself equals itself, i.e., `T.sqrt ^ 2 = T`  -/
+lemma sqrt_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum
+  [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) (hT : T.is_symmetric)
+  (hT1 : (spectrum 𝕜 T).is_nonneg) :
+  (T.sqrt hn hT) ^ 2 = T :=
+by simp_rw [pow_two, mul_eq_comp, linear_map.ext_iff, comp_apply, sqrt_apply,
+     inner_sum, inner_smul_real_right, smul_smul, inner_smul_right,
+     ← orthonormal_basis.repr_apply_apply, orthonormal_basis.repr_self,
+     euclidean_space.single_apply, mul_boole, smul_ite, smul_zero,
+     finset.sum_ite_eq, finset.mem_univ, if_true, algebra.mul_smul_comm,
+     sq_mul_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum T hn hT hT1,
+     orthonormal_basis.repr_apply_apply, ← smul_eq_mul, ← smul_assoc,
+     eq_self_iff_true, forall_const]
+
+/-- given a symmetric linear map `T`, we have that its root is positive -/
+lemma is_symmetric.sqrt_is_positive
+  [decidable_eq 𝕜] (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) (hT : T.is_symmetric) :
+  (T.sqrt hn hT).is_positive :=
+begin
+  have : (T.sqrt hn hT).is_symmetric,
+  { intros x y,
+    simp_rw [sqrt_apply T hn hT, inner_sum, sum_inner, smul_smul, inner_smul_right,
+      inner_smul_left],
+    have : ∀ i : fin n, conj ((√ (α hT hn i)) : 𝕜) = ((√ (α hT hn i)) : 𝕜) := λ i,
+    by simp_rw [eq_conj_iff_re, of_real_re],
+    simp_rw  [mul_assoc, map_mul, this, inner_conj_symm,
+      mul_comm ⟪e hT hn _, y⟫, ← mul_assoc], },
+  refine ⟨this, _⟩,
+  intro x,
+  simp_rw [sqrt_apply _ hn hT, inner_sum, add_monoid_hom.map_sum, inner_smul_right],
+  apply finset.sum_nonneg',
+  intros i,
+  simp_rw [← inner_conj_symm x, ← orthonormal_basis.repr_apply_apply,
+    mul_conj, ← of_real_mul, of_real_re],
+  exact mul_nonneg (real.sqrt_nonneg _) (norm_sq_nonneg _),
+end
+
+/-- `T` is positive if and only if `T` is symmetric
+(which is automatic from the definition of positivity)
+and has a non-negative spectrum -/
+lemma is_positive_iff_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum
+  (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) :
+  T.is_positive ↔ T.is_symmetric ∧ (spectrum 𝕜 T).is_nonneg :=
+begin
+  classical,
+  refine ⟨λ h, ⟨h.1, λ μ hμ, h.nonneg_spectrum μ hμ⟩,
+          λ h, ⟨h.1, _⟩⟩,
+  intros x,
+  rw [← sqrt_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum T hn h.1 h.2,
+    pow_two, mul_apply, ← adjoint_inner_left, is_self_adjoint_iff'.mp
+      ((is_symmetric_iff_is_self_adjoint _).mp (h.1.sqrt_is_positive T hn).1)],
+  exact inner_self_nonneg,
+end
+
+/-- `T` is positive if and only if there exists a
+linear map `S` such that `T = S.adjoint * S` -/
+lemma is_positive_iff_exists_adjoint_mul_self
+  (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n) :
+  T.is_positive ↔ ∃ S : E →ₗ[𝕜] E, T = S.adjoint * S :=
+begin
+  classical,
+   split,
+  { rw [is_positive_iff_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum T hn],
+    rintro ⟨hT, hT1⟩,
+    use T.sqrt hn hT,
+    rw [is_self_adjoint_iff'.mp
+          ((is_symmetric_iff_is_self_adjoint _).mp (hT.sqrt_is_positive T hn).1),
+      ← pow_two],
+    exact (sqrt_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum T hn hT hT1).symm, },
+  { intros h,
+    rcases h with ⟨S, rfl⟩,
+    refine ⟨is_symmetric_adjoint_mul_self S, _⟩,
+    intro x,
+    simp_rw [mul_apply, adjoint_inner_right],
+    exact inner_self_nonneg, },
+end
+
+section complex
+
+/-- for spaces `V` over `ℂ`, it suffices to define positivity with
+`0 ≤ ⟪v, T v⟫_ℂ` for all `v ∈ V` -/
+lemma complex_is_positive {V : Type*} [normed_add_comm_group V]
+  [inner_product_space ℂ V] (T : V →ₗ[ℂ] V) :
+  T.is_positive ↔ ∀ v : V, ↑(re ⟪v, T v⟫_ℂ) = ⟪v, T v⟫_ℂ ∧ 0 ≤ re ⟪v, T v⟫_ℂ :=
+by simp_rw [is_positive, is_symmetric_iff_inner_map_self_real, inner_conj_symm,
+     ← eq_conj_iff_re, inner_conj_symm, ← forall_and_distrib, and_comm, eq_comm]
+
+end complex
+
+lemma is_positive.conj_adjoint [finite_dimensional 𝕜 F]
+  (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E) (S : E →ₗ[𝕜] F) (h : T.is_positive) :
+  (S.comp (T.comp S.adjoint)).is_positive :=
+begin
+  split,
+  intros u v,
+  simp_rw [comp_apply, ← adjoint_inner_left _ (T _), ← adjoint_inner_right _ (T _)],
+  exact h.1 _ _,
+  intros v,
+  simp_rw [comp_apply, ← adjoint_inner_left _ (T _)],
+  exact h.2 _,
+end
+
+lemma is_positive.adjoint_conj [finite_dimensional 𝕜 F]
+  (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E) (S : F →ₗ[𝕜] E) (h : T.is_positive) :
+  (S.adjoint.comp (T.comp S)).is_positive :=
+begin
+  split,
+  intros u v,
+  simp_rw [comp_apply, adjoint_inner_left, adjoint_inner_right],
+  exact h.1 _ _,
+  intros v,
+  simp_rw [comp_apply, adjoint_inner_right],
+  exact h.2 _,
+end
+
+variable (hn : finite_dimensional.finrank 𝕜 E = n)
+local notation `√T⋆`T := (T.adjoint.comp T).sqrt hn (is_symmetric_adjoint_mul_self T)
+
+/-- we have `(T.adjoint.comp T).sqrt` is positive, given any linear map `T` -/
+lemma sqrt_adjoint_self_is_positive [decidable_eq 𝕜] (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E) : (√T⋆T).is_positive :=
+is_symmetric.sqrt_is_positive _ hn (is_symmetric_adjoint_mul_self T)
+
+/-- given any linear map `T` and `x ∈ E` we have
+`‖(T.adjoint.comp T).sqrt x‖ = ‖T x‖` -/
+lemma norm_of_sqrt_adjoint_mul_self_eq [decidable_eq 𝕜] (T : E →ₗ[𝕜] E) (x : E) :
+  ‖(√T⋆T) x‖ = ‖T x‖ :=
+begin
+  simp_rw [← sq_eq_sq (norm_nonneg _) (norm_nonneg _), ← @inner_self_eq_norm_sq 𝕜,
+    ← adjoint_inner_left, is_self_adjoint_iff'.mp
+      ((is_symmetric_iff_is_self_adjoint _).mp (sqrt_adjoint_self_is_positive hn T).1),
+    ← mul_eq_comp, ← mul_apply, ← pow_two, mul_eq_comp],
+ congr,
+ apply sqrt_sq_eq_self_of_is_symmetric_and_nonneg_spectrum,
+ apply is_positive.nonneg_spectrum ⟨is_symmetric_adjoint_mul_self T, _⟩,
+ intros x,
+ simp_rw [mul_apply, adjoint_inner_right],
+ exact inner_self_nonneg,
+end
+
+end finite_dimensional
+
+end linear_map
+
+
 namespace continuous_linear_map
 
-variables {𝕜 E F : Type*} [is_R_or_C 𝕜]
-variables [normed_add_comm_group E] [normed_add_comm_group F]
-variables [inner_product_space 𝕜 E] [inner_product_space 𝕜 F]
+open continuous_linear_map
+
 variables [complete_space E] [complete_space F]
-local notation `⟪`x`, `y`⟫` := @inner 𝕜 _ _ x y
 
 /-- A continuous linear endomorphism `T` of a Hilbert space is **positive** if it is self adjoint
   and `∀ x, 0 ≤ re ⟪T x, x⟫`. -/
 def is_positive (T : E →L[𝕜] E) : Prop :=
   is_self_adjoint T ∧ ∀ x, 0 ≤ T.re_apply_inner_self x
 
+lemma is_positive.to_linear_map (T : E →L[𝕜] E) :
+  T.to_linear_map.is_positive ↔ T.is_positive :=
+by simp_rw [to_linear_map_eq_coe, linear_map.is_positive, continuous_linear_map.coe_coe,
+     is_positive, is_self_adjoint_iff_is_symmetric, re_apply_inner_self_apply T, inner_re_symm]
+
 lemma is_positive.is_self_adjoint {T : E →L[𝕜] E} (hT : is_positive T) :
   is_self_adjoint T :=
 hT.1
@@ -126,3 +430,12 @@ end
 end complex
 
 end continuous_linear_map
+
+lemma orthogonal_projection_is_positive [complete_space E] (U : submodule 𝕜 E) [complete_space U] :
+  (U.subtypeL ∘L (orthogonal_projection U)).is_positive :=
+begin
+  refine ⟨orthogonal_projection_is_self_adjoint U, λ x, _⟩,
+  simp_rw [continuous_linear_map.re_apply_inner_self, ← submodule.adjoint_orthogonal_projection,
+    continuous_linear_map.comp_apply, continuous_linear_map.adjoint_inner_left],
+  exact inner_self_nonneg,
+end