Beurling's analyticity theorem for quantum differences (Q1003136)

Let \(f\) be a real function defined on an interval \(I\) and let \(\Delta_h^nf(x)\) denote the standard differences \[ \Delta_h^nf(x)=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^{n-k}{n \choose k}f(x+kh)\quad (x\in I, x+nh\in I). \] A theorem of Beurling states that if \(f\) satisfies \(\| \Delta^n_hf\|_\infty\leq \rho^n \| f\|_\infty\) (\(n=0,1,2\ldots \)) for some \(\rho\in ]0,2[ \), then \(f\) is analytic in a rhombus containing \(I\). In the present paper, the author considers the \(q\)-analogue \[ \Delta_nf(q,x)=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k\left[{n\over k}\right]_q q^{k(k-1)/2}f(q^{n-k}x) \] for functions defined on \( ]0,\infty[ \). He proves quantitative and qualitative versions of Beurling's result in this context. He also characterizes the analyticity of \( f \) on subintervals of \( ]0,\infty[ \) in terms of \(q\)-differences.