Bank-Laine functions with real zeros (Q2228041)

Entire functions \(E\) such that \(E(z)=0\) implies \(E'(z)=\pm 1\) are called Bank-Laine functions. The author studies the zero distribution of Bank-Laine functions with real zero sets unbounded from below and above. This is connected with the equation \(f''+ A(z)f=0\), that is, \(E\) is a product of two linearly independent solutions provided that their Wronskian equals 1. Moreover, \(4A= \Bigl(\frac{E'}{E}\Bigr)^2-2 \frac{E''}{E} -\frac{1}{E^2}\). Though if \(E\) is of finite order the sharp lower estimate of the exponent of convergence \(\lambda(E)\) is 1 [\textit{D. Drasin} and the author, Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 348, 165--178 (2008; Zbl 1158.30019)], it could be essentially improved except for functions of a special form. Theorem. Let \(E\) be a real Bank-Laine function of finite order, with only real zeros, these neither bounded above nor bounded below, and let \(A\) be the associated coefficient. Then one of the following holds: (i) there exist \(\eta\), \(\omega_1\), \(\omega_2\in \mathbb{R}\) such that \(\eta \sin (\omega_1-\omega_2)\ne 0\) and \[ A=\eta^2, \quad E(z)=\pm \frac{\sin (\eta z-\omega_1)\sin (\eta z-\omega_2)}{\eta \sin (\omega_1-\omega_2)};\] (ii) \(A\) is transcendental and \(\lambda(E)\ge 3\), with \(\rho(E)=\rho(A)=3\) if \(\lambda(E)=3\), where \(\rho(f)\) is the order of an entire function \(f\).