Extension of a theorem of Laguerre to entire functions of exponential type (Q1821226)

The authors show, that if f is an entire function of exponential type \(\tau >0\) such that \[ \limsup_{y\to \infty}(\log | f(iy)|)/y=0 \] and f(z)\(\neq 0\) for all z with Im(z)\(\geq 0\) then \[ (*)\quad f(z)+i(1- \zeta)f'(z)\neq 0\quad for\quad Im(z)\geq 0,\quad | \zeta | \leq 1. \] The proof is based on a theorem of \textit{B. Ya. Levin} [Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 14, 45-84 (1950; Zbl 0054.036)]. With \(f(z)=p(e^{iz})\), where p denotes a polynomial without zeros in the closed unit disk, it follows a well known theorem of Laguerre. Also a series of old and new results on entire functions of exponential type can be derived from (*).