Integers with dense divisors. II (Q5929394)

Let \(d_j(n)\), \(j=1,\dots,\tau(n)\), denote the positive divisors of \(n\) in increasing order, \(P^-(n)\) be the least prime factor of \(n>1\), and define \(F(n)\) by \(F(1)= 1\), \(F(n) = \max\{dP^-(d): d \mid n,d > 1\}\) for \(n\geq 2\); it is known that \(F(n)/n=\max_{1\leq i<\tau(n)} (d_{i+1}(n)/d_i(n))\) \((n\geq 2)\). The main aim of this paper is to obtain upper and lower bounds of the same order of magnitude \((x\log(y/z))/(\log x\log z)\) for the quantities \[ \begin{aligned} D(x,y,z) & = |\{n \leq x : F(n) \leq ny,\;P^-(n) > z\}|,\\ D'(x,y,z) & = |\{n\leq x: F(n) \leq ny,\;P^-(n) > z,\mu^2(n)=1\}|\end{aligned} \] (so \(D'(x,y,z) \leq D(x,y,z))\), that are valid in the region (1) \(x\geq y \geq z+z^{0.535}\geq 3\), \(x\geq z^5\), \(y\geq y_0\). The upper bound follows from an upper bound for \(D(x,y,z)\) established here for the larger region \(x\geq y >z+1\geq 2.5\). The tools needed to establish both bounds include a Buchstab identity for each of \(D'(x,y,z)\) and \(D(x,y,z)\), and estimates for certain sums over primes satisfying \(z < p \leq y\) under various conditions. The lower bound for \(D'(x,y,z)\) is established in three stages, each involving different conditions on \(x,y,z\); one of these uses a lower bound for \(\pi(y)-\pi(z)\) established under the conditions on \(y,z\) in (1) by \textit{R. C. Baker} and \textit{G. Harman} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 72, 261-280 (1996; Zbl 0853.11076)]. The author comments that he needs to apply the lower bound result elsewhere, previous estimates being insufficient for his purposes. Various authors have provided estimates in different regions for the quantities studied here, and in particular this author investigated \(D(x,y,1)\) in [J. Number Theory 62, 163-191 (1997; Zbl 0872.11039)].