Solutions of a pair of differential equations and their applications (Q5917601)

The author considers the common solutions of a pair of differential equations and gives some of their applications in the uniqueness problems of entire functions. Let \(\alpha(z)\) and \(\beta(z)\) are nonconstant entire functions such that \(e^{\alpha(z)- \beta(z)}\not\equiv 1\). Then the pair of differential equations \[ f^{(n)}- e^{\alpha(z)}f= 1,\quad f^{(n+ 1)}- e^{\beta(z)} f= 1, \] has no common solution. Let \(\alpha(z)\) be an entire function, and let \(\beta(z)\) be a nonconstant entire function. Then the pair of differential equations \[ f^{(n)}- e^{\alpha(z)} f= 1,\quad f'- e^{\beta(z)} f=1, \] has no common solution. Applying these results, the author obtains: Let \(f\) be a nonconstant entire function, \(n\) be a positive integer. If \(f\), \(f^{(n)}\), and \(f^{(n+1)}\) share a finite value \(a\neq 0\), then \(f\) must be of finite order.