The equations \(h(w)=w^ n\) in binary alphabets (Q799819)

Let h be an endomorphism on a finitely generated word semigroup \(A^*\). A solution of the equations \(h(x)=x^ n (n=2,3,...)\) is just a word w in \(A^*\) for which (*) \(h(w)\in w^ 2w^*\). The solutions (*) in a word semigroup of binary alphabets are investigated. A complete account on all the solutions and on all the morphisms possessing a solution is given. The authors point out that in the case of binary alphabets, the primitive solution w is of length at most \(\max\{| h(a)|;| h(b)|\},\) however this is not so in alphabets of larger size.