Normal families and uniqueness theorems for entire functions (Q1873662)

For an entire function \(f\) and a set \(S\) of complex numbers we denote by \(E(S,f)\) the set of all \(z\) with \(f(z)\in S\), with multiplicities counted. It is known that there exists finite sets \(S\) such that if \(E(S,f)=E(S,g)\) for two non-constant entire functions \(f\) and \(g\), then \(f=g\). Such sets are called unique range sets. Unique range sets also exist for meromorphic functions, and also if multiplicities are not counted in the definition of \(E(S,f)\). There are a number of papers concerned with unique range sets, and in particular with their minimal cardinality. Here it is shown that there exists a set \(S\) of three elements such that if \(E(S,f)=E(S,f')\), then \(f=f'\). The number three is best possible here. The proof uses the theory of normal families. Further results concern the case where \(f\) takes a value \(a\) whenever \(f^{(k)}\) takes a value \(b\), or vice versa, with non-zero complex numbers \(a,b\). It is shown that if in addition \(f\) has no zeros, then \(f\) has the form \(f(z)=e^{Az+B}\), where \(A,B\) are constant.