We consider existence and asymptotic behavior of solutions for an equa
tion of the form epsilon(2) Delta u - V(x) u + f(u) = 0, u>0, u is an
element of H-0(1)(Omega), () where Omega is a smooth domain in R-N, n
ot necessarily bounded. We assume that the potential V is positive and
that it possesses a topologically nontrivial critical value c, charac
terized through a min-max scheme. The function f is assumed to be loca
lly Holder continuous having a subcritical, superlinear growth. Furthe
r we assume that f is such that the corresponding limiting equation in
R-N has a unique solution, up to translations. We prove that there ex
ists epsilon(0) so that for all 0<epsilon<epsilon(0), Eq. () possesse
s a solution having exactly one maximum point x(epsilon) is an element
of Omega, such that V(x(epsilon)) --> c and del V(x(epsilon)) --> 0 a
s epsilon --> 0. (C) 1997 Academic Press.