Slope-changing solutions of elliptic problems on \(\mathbb R^n\) (Q927961)

This paper deals with the problem \(-\Delta u+F_u(x,u)=0\) for \(x\in\mathbb R^n\), where \(F\) is a smooth periodic function with a period 1 in all its variables. While the bounded solutions of the equation are at a finite distance from the plane \(u=0\) (with slope 0), the author considers solutions \(u\) which are at a finite distance from planes of any given slope \(\alpha\): \(\| u(x)-\alpha\cdot x\| _{L^{\infty}(\mathbb R^n)}<+\infty\). Here \(\alpha\in\mathbb R^n\) is called a slope of \(u\). The question is whether there are solutions which have different slopes on different patches of \(\mathbb R^n\). The author proves that this is possible, under a condition on \(F\) derived from \textit{J. N. Mather} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 4, No. 2, 207--263 (1991; Zbl 0737.58029)].