Uniqueness for a class of \(p\)-Laplacian problems when the reaction term tends to zero at infinity (Q2227562)

The authors consider a boundary value problem with \(p\)-Laplacian: \[ \begin{cases} -(\phi(u'))'=\lambda h(t) f(u),~~ t\in (0,1),\\ u(0)=u(1)=0, \end{cases}\tag{1} \] where \(\phi(s)=|s|^{p-2}s\), \(p>1\), \(h: (0,1)\to (0,\infty)\), \(f: (0,\infty)\to \mathbb{R}\) is a differentiable function and \(\lambda\) is a positive parameter. Sufficient conditions are given for the uniqueness and asymptotic behavior of positive solutions to (1) for \(\lambda\) large when \(f(u) \sim u^{-\gamma}\) at \(\infty\) for some \(\gamma\in (0,1)\) with \(\lim_{u\to 0^{+}}f(u) = -\infty\), and \(h\) is a decreasing function with possible singularity at \(t = 0\). The case when \(h\) is increasing with possible singularity at \(t = 1\) is also discussed. These results are complement the results in [\textit{K. D. Chu} et al., J. Math. Anal. Appl. 472, No. 1, 510--525 (2019; Zbl 1418.35196)].