Approximation of a real number by algebraic units (Q5939040)

For any integer \(n\geq 2\) let \(d(n)\) be the integral part of \((n-1)/2\) and \(v(n)\) the integral part of \((n+1)/2\). Let \(\xi\) be a real number which is not an algebraic number of degree \(\leq d(n)\). Using successive minima, \textit{H. Davenport} and \textit{W. Schmidt} proved [Acta Arith. 15, 393-416 (1969; Zbl 0186.08603)] that there exist infinitely many real algebraic numbers \(\alpha\) of degree \(\leq n\) such that \(|\xi-\alpha \mid\ll H(\alpha)^{-v(n)}\) (actually, for \(n\leq 4\) the result is more precise). In a previous paper \textit{Y. Bugeaud} and the author [Acta Arith. 93, 77-86 (2000; Zbl 0948.11029)] proved by the same method the existence of infinitely many real algebraic numbers (resp. algebraic integers) \(\alpha\) of degree exactly \(n-1\) (resp. \(n)\) with \[ |\xi- \alpha|\ll H(\alpha)^{-v(n)}\bigl (1+\log H(\alpha) \bigr)^{v(n)}. \] In the present paper the author proves the existence of infinitely many real algebraic units \(\alpha\) of exact degree \(n+1\) with \[ |\xi- \alpha |\ll H(\alpha)^{-v(n)} \] and shows how to delete the extra factor in \(\log H(\alpha)\) of the result with Y. Bugeaud. He studies also units over a finite intersection of \(\mathbb{Z}_p\cap \mathbb{Q}\).