Qualitative properties and classification of nonnegative solutions to \(-\Delta u=f(u)\) in unbounded domains when \(f(0) < 0\) (Q515353)

Nonnegative solutions of \(-\Delta u = f(u)\) with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions are considered, where \(f\) is merely locally Lipschitz continuous and satisfies \(f(0)<0\). It is shown that, in the half-plane \(\{(x,y): \in {\mathbf R}^2: y>0 \}\), every solution \(u(x,y)\) is either one-dimensional and periodic or positive and strictly monotone increasing in \(y\), without any other assumption on \(u\). This result answers to a conjecture posted by Berestycki, Caffarelli and Nirenberg. More general results, analogous results for strip domains in \({\mathbf R}^2\) and symmetry and monotonicity results in the higher-dimensional case are also obtained.