On two-sided infinite fixed points of morphisms (Q5958325): Difference between revisions

Let \(\Sigma\) be a finite alphabet, and let \(h:\Sigma^{*} \rightarrow \Sigma^{*}\) be a morphism. Finite and infinite fixed points of morphisms -- i.e., those words \(w\) such that \(h(w)=w\) -- play an important role in formal language theory. Head characterized the finite fixed points of \(h,\) and later, Head and Lando characterized the one-sided infinite fixed points of \(h.\) Our paper has two main results. First, we complete the characterization of fixed points of morphisms by describing all two-sided infinite fixed points of \(h,\) for both the ``pointed'' and ``unpointed'' cases. Second, we completely characterize the solutions to the equation \(h(xy)=yx\) in finite words.