On the meromorphic solutions of an equation of Hayman. (Q1399359)

A classical result of \textit{A. A. Gol'dberg} [Ukrain. Math. Zh. 8, 254--261 (1956; Zbl 0072.09202)] says that meromorphic solutions to first-order algebraic differential equations have finite order of growth. This result has been extended to certain higher-order differential equations by various authors. \textit{W. K. Hayman} [Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat., IX. Ser., Rend. Lincei, Mat. Appl. 7, 67--73 (1996; Zbl 0877.34007)] mentioned the equation \(ff''-{f'}^2=k_0+k_1f+k_2f'+k_3f''\), where the \(k_j\) are constants, as ``perhaps the simplest case'' where no growth restriction for its entire solution is known, and he conjectured that all entire solutions have finite order. Here, the general solution to the above equation is found. While this solution is not meromorphic for a generic choice of the parameters, there are parameters for which meromorphic solutions exist. It turns out that all transcendental meromorphic solutions are in fact entire functions of order one. In particular, it follows that Hayman's conjecture is correct.