Dual exponential polynomials and linear differential equations (Q2410305)

In this paper, the authors investigate the linear differential equation \[ f^{(k)}+A_{k-1}(z)f^{(k-1)}+\cdots +A_{1}(z)f^{\prime}+A_{0}(z)f=0, \tag{1} \] where \(A_{j}(z)(\not\equiv 0)\) (\(j=0,1,\dots,k-1\)), \(A_{0}(z)\not\equiv 0\) are exponential polynomials. An exponential polynomial \(f\) is a function of the form \[ f(z)=P_{1}(z)e^{Q_{1}(z)}+\cdots +P_{k}(z)e^{Q_{k}(z)}, \tag{2} \] where \(P_{j}(z),\) \(Q_{j}(z)\) are polynomials for \(1\leq j\leq k\). They consider the case when \(f\) is an exponential polynomial solution of (1) where exactly one coefficient of \((1),\) say \(A_{s}(z)\), is a transcendental exponential polynomial, and all the other coefficients are exponential polynomials of order less than the order of \(A_{s}(z)\). The main result of this paper shows that \(f\) and \(A_{s}(z)\) have a certain dual relationship. This result is related to the problem of A. Gol'dberg, I. Ostrovskii, and V. Petrenko (GOP-problem) which asks whether finite order transcendental solutions of (1) are always of completely regular growth whenever the coefficients of (1) are of completely regular growth [\textit{V. P. Havin} (ed.) and \textit{N. K. Nikolski} (ed.), Linear and complex analysis problem book 3. Part 2. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1994; Zbl 0893.30037)]. Several examples are given to illustrate the main result.