A note on a semilinear elliptic problem (Q1194546)

The author studies the fourth order problem \[ \Delta^ 2u+c \Delta u=b [(u+1)_ +-1] \text{ in } \Omega,\quad u=\Delta u=0 \text{ on }\partial \Omega, \] for bounded domains \(\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^ n\) and for \(c<\lambda_ 1\), the first Dirichlet eigenvalue of the Laplace operator. It is shown that \(b \geq \lambda_ 1\) \((\lambda_ 1-c)\) is necessary and sufficient for the existence of nontrivial solutions, and that \(b \geq \lambda_ 1\) \((\lambda_ 1-c)>0\) is sufficient for the existence of negative solutions. (Reviewer's remark: In fact \(b \geq \lambda_ 1\) \((\lambda_ 1-c)>0\) is also necessary for the existence of negative solutions, as can be seen from the inequality preceding (1.3).) There are some connections to second order problems with similar nonlinearities, see [\textit{P. J. Mc Kenna}, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 98, 167-190 (1987; Zbl 0676.35003)].