On the Fourier series of a step function

Let f denote the harmonic extension to be unit disk \({\mathbb{D}}\) of a step function \(f(e^{it})=c_ k\), \(t_{k-1}<t<t_ k\), \(1\leq k\leq n\), on \(\partial {\mathbb{D}}\). Write \(f=h+\bar g\) where h and g are analytic. Then one may represent \(h'=P/S\) and \(g'=Q/S\) where \(S(z)=\prod^{n}_{k=1}(z-e^{it_ k})\) and where P and Q are polynomials of degree at most n-2 such that \(| g'/h'| =| Q/P| =1\) on \(\partial {\mathbb{D}}\). Conversely, each polynomial Q of degree at most n-2 and product S(z) gives rise to a step function in this way. If the \(c_ k\) all lie on a convex Jordan curve, then additional information can be given about the zeros and poles of Q/P in \({\mathbb{D}}.\) In general, if \(\Pi\) is the polygon \([c_ 1,c_ 2,...,c_ n,c_ 1]\), then \(\Pi\) is the cluster set of f as \(z\to \partial {\mathbb{D}}\). Furthermore, f(\({\mathbb{D}})\) contains all points about which \(\Pi\) has nonzero winding number. If \(\Pi\) bounds a Jordan domain \(\Omega\), then the question arises when f is a homeomorphism of \({\mathbb{D}}\) onto \(\Omega\), and a number of equivalences are given. In this case it is of interest to ask how much freedom there is in choosing the points \(e^{it_ k}\), and a precise answer is given. A number of applications and examples are included.

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