Entire functions that share a small function with its derivative

In this paper, by studying the properties of meromorphic functions which have few zeros and poles, we find all the entire functions f(z) which share a small and finite order meromorphic function a(z) with its derivative, and f(n)(z)−a(z)=0 whenever f(z)−a(z)=0 (n?2). This result is a generalization of several previous results.     

Value sharing results for shifts of meromorphic functions, and sufficient conditions for periodicity

This research is a continuation of a recent paper due to the first four authors. Shared value problems related to a meromorphic function f(z) and its shift f(z+c), where c∈C, are studied. It is shown, for instance, that if f(z) is of finite order and shares two values CM and one value IM with its shift f(z+c), then f is a periodic function with period c. The assumption on the order of f can be dropped if f shares two shifts in different directions, leading to a new way of characterizing elliptic functions. The research findings also include an analogue for shifts of a well-known conjecture by Brück concerning the value sharing of an entire function f with its derivative f^′.     

Meromorphic Functions That Share Fixed-Points

In this paper, we prove the following result: Let f(z) and g(z) be two nonconstant meromorphic(entire) functions, n ≥ 11(n ≥ 6) a positive integer. If fⁿ(z)f′(z) and gⁿ(z)g′(z) have the same fixed-points, then either f(z) = c₁e^cz2, g(z) = c₂e^− cz2, where c₁, c₂, and c are three constants satisfying 4(c₁c₂)^n + 1c² = −1, or f(z) ≡ tg(z) for a constant t such that t^n + 1 = 1.     

Uniqueness and value distribution of differences of entire functions

We consider the existence of transcendental entire solutions of certain type of non-linear difference equations. As an application, we investigate the value distribution of difference polynomials of entire functions. In particular, we are interested in the existence of zeros of fn(z)(λfm(z+c)+μfm(z))−a, where f is an entire function, n, m are two integers such that n?m>0, and λ, μ are non-zero complex numbers. We also obtain a uniqueness result in the case where shifts of two entire functions share a small function.     

An extension of Picard's theorem for meromorphic functions of small hyper-order

A version of the second main theorem of Nevanlinna theory is proved, where the ramification term is replaced by a term depending on a certain composition operator of a meromorphic function of small hyper-order. As a corollary of this result it is shown that if n∈N and three distinct values of a meromorphic function f of hyper-order less than 1/n² have forward invariant pre-images with respect to a fixed branch of the algebraic function τ(z)=z+αn−1z1−1/n+?+α₁z1/n+α₀ with constant coefficients, then f○τ≡f. This is a generalization of Picard's theorem for meromorphic functions of small hyper-order, since the (empty) pre-images of the usual Picard exceptional values are special cases of forward invariant pre-images.     

On the successive coefficients of close-to-convex functions

Let f∈S, f be a close-to-convex function, f_k(z)=[f(z^k)]^1/k. The relative growth of successive coefficients of f_k(z) is investigated. The sharp estimate of ||c_n+1|−|c_n|| is obtained by using the method of the subordination function.     

Estimates for derivatives of holomorphic functions in a hyperbolic domain

Let f(z) be a holomorphic function in a hyperbolic domain Ω. For 2?n?8, the sharp estimate of |f(n)(z)/f^′(z)| associated with the Poincaré density λΩ(z) and the radius of convexity ρΩc(z) at z∈Ω is established for f(z) univalent or convex in each Δc(z) and z∈Ω. The detailed equality condition of the estimate is given. Further application of the results to the Avkhadiev-Wirths conjecture is also discussed.     

Factorization of entire solutions of some algebraic differential equations

We investigate the factorization of entire solutions of the following algebraic differential equations:

bn(z)finjn(f^′)+bn−1(z)fin−1jn−1(f^′)+?+b₀(z)fi₀j₀(f^′)=b(z),     

On a certain type of nonlinear differential equations admitting transcendental meromorphic solutions

We study the differential equations w ²+R(z)(w ^(k))² = Q(z), where R(z),Q(z) are nonzero rational functions. We prove

1. if the differential equation w ²+R(z)(w′)² = Q(z), where R(z), Q(z) are nonzero rational functions, admits a transcendental meromorphic solution f, then Q ≡ C (constant), the multiplicities of the zeros of R(z) are no greater than 2 and f(z) = √C cos α(z), where α(z) is a primitive of $\tfrac{1} {{\sqrt {R(z)} }}$ such that √C cos α(z) is a transcendental meromorphic function.
2. if the differential equation w ² + R(z)(w ^(k))² = Q(z), where k ? 2 is an integer and R,Q are nonzero rational functions, admits a transcendental meromorphic solution f, then k is an odd integer, Q ≡ C (constant), R(z) ≡ A (constant) and f(z) = √C cos (az + b), where $a^{2k} = \tfrac{1} {A}$ .

     

Compositions of linear-fractional transformations

We study the asymptotic behavior of the compositions (S_n o...o S₁)(z) and (S₁ o...o S_n)(z) of linear-fractional transformations S_n (z) (n=1,2,...) whose fixed points have limits. In particular, if S _n (z)=α _n (β _n +z)^-1, then the sequency of compositions (S₁o...o S_n)(z) at the point z=0 coincides with the sequence of convergents of the formal continued fraction $$\frac{{\alpha _1 }}{{\beta _1 + \frac{{\alpha _2 }}{{\beta _2 + \cdot \cdot \cdot }}}}.$$ The result obtained can be applied in the study of convergence of formal continued fractions.     

On Value Distribution of Δ~nf

In this paper, we mainly study zeros and poles of the forward differences Δnf(z), where f(z) is a finite order meromorphic function with two Borel exceptional values.     

On Sharing Values of Meromorphic Functions and Their Differences

For a meromorphic function f in the complex plane, we prove that if f is a finite order transcendental entire function which has a finite Borel exceptional value a, if ${f(z+\eta)\not\equiv f(z)}$ for some ${\eta\in \mathbb{C}}$ , and if f(z + η) ? f(z) and f(z) share the value a CM, then $$ a=0 \quad {\rm and} \quad \frac{f(z+\eta)-f(z)}{f(z)}=A, $$ where A is a nonzero constant. We also consider problems on sharing values of meromorphic functions and their differences when their orders are not an integer or infinite.     

On zeros and fixed points of differences of meromorphic functions

Let f be a transcendental meromorphic function and g(z)=f(z+1)−f(z). A number of results are proved concerning the existences of zeros and fixed points of g(z) or g(z)/f(z) which expand results of Bergweiler and Langley [W. Bergweiler, J.K. Langley, Zeros of differences of meromorphic functions, Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 142 (2007) 133-147].     

Meromorphic Solutions for a Class of Differential Equations and Their Applications

In this note, we study the admissible meromorphic solutions for algebraic differential equation fⁿf' + P_n?1(f) = R(z)e^α(z), where P_n?1(f) is a differential polynomial in f of degree ≤ n ? 1 with small function coefficients, R is a non-vanishing small function of f, and α is an entire function. We show that this equation does not possess any meromorphic solution f(z) satisfying N(r, f) = S(r, f) unless P_n?1(f) ≡ 0. Using this result, we generalize a well-known result by Hayman.     

Uniqueness of entire functions

Let f be a nonconstant entire function and let a be a meromorphic function satisfying T(r,a)=S(r,f) and a?a′. If f(z)=a(z)⇔f′(z)=a(z) and f(z)=a(z)⇒f″(z)=a(z), then f≡f′, and a?a′ is necessary. This extended a result due to Jank, Mues and Volkmann.     

On normal families and differential polynomials for meromorphic functions

We consider the normality criterion for a families F meromorphic in the unit disc Δ, and show that if there exist functions a(z) holomorphic in Δ, a(z)≠1, for each z∈Δ, such that there not only exists a positive number ε₀ such that |an(a(z)−1)−1|?ε₀ for arbitrary sequence of integers an(n∈N) and for any z∈Δ, but also exists a positive number B>0 such that for every f(z)∈F, B|f^′(z)|?|f(z)| whenever f(z)f^″(z)−a(z)(f^′2(z))=0 in Δ. Then is normal in Δ.     

Exceptional functions and normal families of meromorphic functions with multiple zeros

Let k be a positive integer with k?2; let h(?0) be a holomorphic function which has no simple zeros in D; and let F be a family of meromorphic functions defined in D, all of whose poles are multiple, and all of whose zeros have multiplicity at least k+1. If, for each function f∈F, f(k)(z)≠h(z), then F is normal in D.     

Zeros and fixed points of difference operators of meromorphic functions

Let f be a transcendental meromorphic function and Δf(z) = f(z + 1) − f(z). A number of results are proved concerning the existences of zeros and fixed points of Δ f(z) and Δ f(z)/f(z) when f(z) is of order σ(f)=1. Examples show that some of the results are sharp.     

Transcendence measures and algebraic growth of entire functions

In this paper we obtain estimates for certain transcendence measures of an entire function f. Using these estimates, we prove Bernstein, doubling and Markov inequalities for a polynomial P(z,w) in ℂ² along the graph of f. These inequalities provide, in turn, estimates for the number of zeros of the function P(z,f(z)) in the disk of radius r, in terms of the degree of P and of r. Our estimates hold for arbitrary entire functions f of finite order, and for a subsequence {n _j } of degrees of polynomials. But for special classes of functions, including the Riemann ζ-function, they hold for all degrees and are asymptotically best possible. From this theory we derive lower estimates for a certain algebraic measure of a set of values f(E), in terms of the size of the set E.     

Exponential polynomials as solutions of certain nonlinear difference equations

Recently, C.-C. Yang and I. Laine have investigated finite order entire solutions f of nonlinear differential-difference equations of the form fn + L(z, f ) = h, where n ≥ 2 is an integer. In particular, it is known that the equation f(z)2 + q(z)f (z + 1) = p(z), where p(z), q(z) are polynomials, has no transcendental entire solutions of finite order. Assuming that Q(z) is also a polynomial and c ∈ C, equations of the form f(z)n + q(z)e Q(z) f(z + c) = p(z) do posses finite order entire solutions. A classification of these solutions in terms of growth and zero distribution will be given. In particular, it is shown that any exponential polynomial solution must reduce to a rather specific form. This reasoning relies on an earlier paper due to N. Steinmetz.