Optimal bounds in semilinear elliptic problems with nonlinear boundary conditions (Q687416)

Upper and lower bounds for the positive solutions of solutions to semilinear problems of the type \[ \Delta u\pm\lambda f(u)=0\text{ in }\Omega,\quad{\partial u\over\partial n}\pm\sigma g(u)=0\text{ on }\partial\Omega, \] \(\partial/\partial n\) outer normal derivative, are derived. The idea is to construct upper and lower solutions of the form \(v(x)=h(t(x))\), where \(t\) and \(h\) are suitably chosen functions. The bounds are optimal for certain convex domains. The same method can also be used to give a lower bound for the interval \((0,\lambda^*)\) for which a solution exists.