Notes on entire functions sharing an entire function of a smaller order with their difference operators (Q1759611)

In 1977, Rubel and Yang proved that when an entire function shares two distinct finite values CM with its derivative then they are equal. Brück conjectured the relation between a function and its derivative when they share a value with some restriction on the hyper-order of the function. Recently, analogous results of Brück's conjecture received utmost importance in case of value sharing of an entire function of smaller order with its difference operators. The paper under review extends some recent results in this direction on the basis of a question raised in [\textit{K. Liu} and \textit{L. Z.Yang}, Arch. Math. 92, No. 3, 270--278 (2009; Zbl 1173.30018)], by replacing the value sharing by sharing of a small entire function. In particular, this paper rectifies the conclusion of Theorem 1.5 of \textit{X. M. Li, C. Y. Kang} and \textit{H. X. Yi} [Arch. Math. 96, No. 6, 577--587 (2011; Zbl 1252.30021)] which originally was dependent on the erroneous statement by \textit{S. Li} and \textit{Z. S. Gao} [Arch. Math. 95, No. 3, 257--268 (2010); erratum ibid. 99, No. 3, 255--259 (2012; Zbl 1213.30058)]. An example exhibited by the authors shows that the assumption over order mentioned in the statement of the main theorem is the best possible.