International Journal of Mathematical Analysis

Vol. 14, 2020, no. 2, 77 - 90

HIKARI Ltd, www.m-hikari.com
https://doi.org/10.12988/ijma.2020.91283

On the Nonlinear Sequential ψ-Hilfer

Fractional Differential Equations
Mohamed I. Abbas

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Faculty of Science, Alexandria University
Alexandria 21511, Egypt

This article is distributed under the Creative Commons by-nc-nd Attribution License.
Copyright
c 2020 Hikari Ltd.

Abstract
In this paper, we discuss the existence and uniqueness of solutions
for a class of nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equa-
tions. This investigation is carried out by means of Schaefer’s fixed point
theorem and modified version of contraction principle. An example is
given to illustrate the main results.

Mathematics Subject Classification: 26A33, 34A08, 34A12.

Keywords: ψ-Hilfer fractional derivative, Sequential fractional differential

equations, Schaefer’s fixed point theorem

1 Introduction
The subject of fractional differential equations has garnered tremendous efforts
by those authors interested in fractional calculus due to its important appli-
cations in the modeling of many phenomena in various fields of engineering,
physics and economics. For more details, we refer the reader to the mono-
graphs of Kilbas et al. [16], Lakshmikantham et al. [17], Miller and Ross [18],
Podlubny [19]. Add to that, a numerous researchers interested in the investiga-
tion of existence and uniqueness of solutions of fractional differential equations
involving different kinds of the well-known fractional derivatives: Hadamard,
Hilfer, Riemann-Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives. For instance, we
78 Mohamed I. Abbas

mention here few recent works by Abbas [1]-[5], also see the references cited
therein.

Recently, Sousa et al. [23] introduced a fractional differentiation operator,

which they called ψ-Hilfer operator, with respect to a function ψ that has the
special property of unifying several different fractional operators, that is, of
generalizing those fractional operators. Moreover, in [24], they studied the
data continuous dependence of the Cauchy problem solution for a fractional
differential equation using ψ-Hilfer derivative via the generalized Gronwall in-
equality. The authors in [6, 7, 13, 25], discussed the existence and uniqueness
and Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability results of solutions for fractional integro-
differential equations and differential equations by means of ψ-Hilfer fractional
derivatives .

On the other hand, One can easily find a variety of results related to the
sequential fractional differential equations, see [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 20] and the
references cited therein.

However, to the best of our knowledge, the study of sequential ψ-Hilfer

fractional differential equations has yet to be initiated.

Motivated by the aforementioned papers, we consider the following nonlin-

ear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation:
( α,β;ψ
(Da+ + λDaα−1,β;ψ
+ )u(t) = f (t, u(t)), t ∈ [a, b],
(1−β)(2−α);ψ
(1.1)
Ia+ u(a) = u0 ∈ R,

where 1 < α ≤ 2, 0 ≤ β ≤ 1, λ > 0, 0 < a < b < ∞, Daα,β;ψ + de-

(1−β)(2−α);ψ
notes the ψ-Hilfer fractional derivative of order α and type β, Ia+
denotes the ψ-Riemann-Liouville fractional integral of order (1 − β)(2 − α) ,
and f : [a, b] × R → R is a given continuous function.

2 Preliminaries
In this section we collect some basic definitions, lemmas and theorems that play
an essential role in the rest of this paper. Firstly, we present the Riemann-
Liuoville fractional integral with respect to a function ψ and the ψ-Hilfer frac-
tional derivative.

Definition 2.1. [16] Let (a, b), (−∞ ≤ a < b ≤ ∞) be a finite or infinite
interval of the real line R and let α > 0. In addition, let ψ(t) be an increasing
On the nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equations 79

0
and positive monotone function on (a, b], having a continuous derivative ψ (t)
on (a, b). The left-sided and right-sided fractional integrals of a function g with
respect to function ψ on [a, b] are defined by
Z t
α;ψ 1 0
Ia+ g(t) = ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s))α−1 g(s)ds,
Γ(α) a
and Z b
1 0
Ibα;ψ
− g(t) = ψ (s)(ψ(s) − ψ(t))α−1 g(s)ds.
Γ(α) t

Definition 2.2. [23] Let n − 1 < α < n with n ∈ N, [a, b] is the interval such
that −∞ ≤ a < b ≤ ∞ and g, ψ ∈ C n ([a, b], R) two functions such that ψ
0
is increasing and ψ (t) 6= 0, for all t ∈ [a, b]. The left-sided and right-sided
ψ-Hilfer fractional derivatives of order α and type 0 ≤ β ≤ 1 are defined by
 n
α,β;ψ β(n−α);ψ 1 d (1−β)(n−α);ψ
Da+ g(t) = Ia+ 0 Ia+ g(t),
ψ (t) dt
and  n
β(n−α);ψ 1 d (1−β)(n−α);ψ
Dbα,β;ψ
− g(t) = Ib− − 0 Ib− g(t).
ψ (t) dt
Next, The following lemmas will be important throughout this paper.
Lemma 2.3. [23] Let g ∈ C 1 ([a, b], R), α > 0 and 0 ≤ β ≤ 1. Then

Daα,β;ψ
+ Iaα;ψ
+ g(t) = g(t), Dbα,β;ψ
− Ibα;ψ
− g(t) = g(t).

Lemma 2.4. [23] Given δ ∈ R, where δ > n. Then, for n − 1 < α < n and
0 ≤ β ≤ 1,
Γ(δ)
Daα,β;ψ
+ (ψ(t) − ψ(a))δ−1 = (ψ(t) − ψ(a))δ−α−1 .
Γ(δ − α)
In particular, for n ≤ k ∈ N and δ > n, then
k!
Daα,β;ψ
+ (ψ(t) − ψ(a))k = (ψ(t) − ψ(a))k−α .
Γ(k + 1 − α)
On the other hand, for n ≥ k, then

Daα,β;ψ
+ (ψ(t) − ψ(a))k = 0.

Lemma 2.5. [23] If g ∈ C n [a, b], n − 1 < α < n, 0 ≤ β ≤ 1 and γ =

α + β(n − α). Then
n n−k
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−k

α;ψ α,β;ψ
X 1 d (1−β)(n−α);ψ
Ia+ Da+ g(t) = g(t) − 0 Ia+ g(a),
k=1
Γ(γ − k + 1) ψ (t) dt
80 Mohamed I. Abbas

for all t ∈ (a, b]. In particular, if 1 < α < 2, then

(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−1
 
α;ψ α,β;ψ 1 d (1−β)(2−α);ψ
Ia+ Da+ g(t) = g(t) − I+ g(a)
Γ(γ) ψ 0 (t) dt a
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2 (1−β)(2−α);ψ
− Ia+ g(a),
Γ(γ − 1)
where γ = α + β(2 − α). For more useful properties of ψ-Hilfer fractional
derivative, see [23].
Theorem 2.6. (Schaefer’s fixed point theorem [22]) Let X be a Banach
space and A : X → X be a completely continuous map. If the set

E(A) = {u ∈ X : u = µ(Au), 0 < µ < 1}

is bounded, then A has a fixed point.

Lemma 2.7. (Modified version of contraction principle [21]) Let X
be a Banach space and let A be an operator which maps the element of X into
itself for which Am is a contraction, where m is a positive integer, then A has
a unique fixed point.

3 Main results
Let 0 < a < b < ∞ and C([a, b], R) be the Banach space of all continuous
functions from [a, b] into R with the norm

kykC = sup |y(t)| < ∞.

t∈[a,b]

The weighted space C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) of continuous functions on the finite in-
terval [a, b] is defined by

C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) = {y : [a, b] → R : (ψ(t)−ψ(a))2−γ y(t) ∈ C([a, b], R)}, 1 < γ < 2.

Obviously, C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) is a Banach space endowed with the norm
 
kykC2−γ;ψ = k(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ y(t)kC = sup (ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ y(t).
t∈[a,b]

The following lemma concerns the linear form of (1.1).

Lemma 3.1. Let σ ∈ C[a, b]. The unique solution u ∈ C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) of the
sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation
( α,β;ψ
(Da+ + λDaα−1,β;ψ
+ )u(t) = σ(t), t ∈ [a, b],
(1−β)(2−α);ψ
(3.1)
Ia+ u(a) = u0 ∈ R,
On the nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equations 81

is given by
t t
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2
Z Z
0 1 0
u(t) = u0 −λ ψ (s)u(s)ds+ ψ (s)(ψ(t)−ψ(s))α−1 σ(s)ds.
Γ(γ − 1) a Γ(α) a
(3.2)

Proof. Firstly, we apply the ψ-Riemann-Liouville fractional integral Iaα;ψ

+ to
both sides of (3.1), we get

Iaα;ψ α,β;ψ
+ Da+ u(t) + λIaα;ψ α−1,β;ψ
+ Da+ u(t) = Iaα;ψ
+ σ(t).

By using Lemma 2.5, we get

(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−1
 
1 d (1−β)(2−α);ψ
u(t) − I+ u(a)
Γ(γ) ψ 0 (t) dt a
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2 (1−β)(2−α);ψ
− Ia+ u(a) + λIa1;ψ α;ψ
+ u(t) = Ia+ σ(t).
Γ(γ − 1)
(1−β)(2−α);ψ
Using the boundary condition Ia+ u(a) = u0 of (3.1) and Definition
2.1, one has
Z t Z t
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2 0 1 0
u(t)− u0 +λ ψ (s)u(s)ds = ψ (s)(ψ(t)−ψ(s))α−1 σ(s)ds,
Γ(γ − 1) a Γ(α) a

which implies the required solution (3.2).

Conversely, If u satisfies the integral equation (3.2), then it satisfies (3.1).
Indeed, applying the fractional derivative Daα,β;ψ
+ to both sides of (3.2) and
using Lemma 2.3, it follows that

(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2
Daα,β;ψ
+ u(t) = Daα,β;ψ
+ u0 − λDaα,β;ψ
+ Ia1;ψ α,β;ψ α;ψ
+ u(t) + Da+ Ia+ σ(t).
Γ(γ − 1)

Then

Daα,β;ψ
+ u(t) + λDaα−1,β;ψ
+ u(t) = σ(t),

where, for 1 < γ = α + β(2 − α) < 2 and using Lemma 2.4, we have
Daα,β;ψ
+ (ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2 = 0. Hence, we get (3.1), (see [15, 23]). This com-
pletes the proof.

In order to prove the main results of this paper, we introduce the following
assumptions.

(A1) Let f : [a, b] × R → R be a continuous function.

82 Mohamed I. Abbas

(A2) There exists a positive constant L > 0 such that

|f (t, u) − f (t, v)| ≤ L|u − v|, ∀(t, u), (t, v) ∈ [a, b] × R.

(A3) There exist two positive constants M, N > 0 such that

|f (t, u)| ≤ M |u| + N, ∀(t, u) ∈ [a, b] × R.

Theorem 3.2. If the assumptions (A1) and (A2) hold. If

(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + L < 1,
Γ(α + 1)
then the sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation (1.1) has a unique
solution on [a, b].
Proof. We define the operator A : C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) → C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) by
Z t Z t
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))γ−2 0 1 0
(Au)(t) = u0 −λ ψ (s)u(s)ds+ ψ (s)(ψ(t)−ψ(s))α−1 f (s, u(s))ds,
Γ(γ − 1) a Γ(α) a
(3.3)
for each t ∈ [a, b].
By definition of the operator A, the sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential
equation (1.1) can be written as

u = Au.

Thus, the existence of a solution for the sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differen-
tial equation (1.1) is equivalent to the existence of a fixed point for operator
A. Also, note that A is well defined because of (A1).
For all u, v ∈ C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) and all t ∈ [a, b], using (A2), we have

|(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ((Au)(t) − (Av)(t))|

 Z t 
 0 
≤ λ(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ψ (s)(u(s) − v(s))ds
a
 2−γ Z t 
 (ψ(t) − ψ(a)) 0 α−1

+  ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) (f (s, u(s)) − f (s, v(s)))ds
Γ(α) a
Z t  
0  2−γ

≤ λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (u(s) − v(s))ds
a
Z t  
1 0  
+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s))α−1 (ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ (f (s, u(s)) − f (s, v(s)))ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
 
≤ λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + L ku − vkC2−γ;ψ .
Γ(α + 1)
On the nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equations 83

Then
kAu − AvkC2−γ;ψ ≤ ξku − vkC2−γ;ψ ,
α
where ξ := λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + (ψ(b)−ψ(a))
Γ(α+1)
L.
Next,
|(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ((A2 u)(t) − (A2 v)(t))|
Z t  
0  2−γ

≤ λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (Au(s) − Av(s))ds

a
Z t  
1 0 
α−1  2−γ

+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) (ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (f (s, Au(s)) − f (s, Av(s)))ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
 
≤ λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + L kAu − AvkC2−γ;ψ
Γ(α + 1)
≤ ξ 2 ku − vkC2−γ;ψ .

Thus
kA2 u − A2 vkC2−γ;ψ ≤ ξ 2 ku − vkC2−γ;ψ .
For any m ∈ N, suppose that the following inequality hold

kAm u − Am vkC2−γ;ψ ≤ ξ m ku − vkC2−γ;ψ . (3.4)

Then,
|(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ((Am+1 u)(t) − (Am+1 v)(t))|
Z t  
0  2−γ m m

≤ λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (A u(s) − A v(s))ds

a
Z t  
1 0 
α−1  2−γ m m

+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) (ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (f (s, A u(s)) − f (s, Av (s)))ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
 
≤ λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + L kAm u − Am vkC2−γ;ψ
Γ(α + 1)
m+1
≤ ξ ku − vkC2−γ;ψ .

Thus, For any m ∈ N, we get

kAm+1 u − Am+1 vkC2−γ;ψ ≤ ξ m+1 ku − vkC2−γ;ψ .

Therefore, by the principle of mathematical induction we show that the in-

equality (3.4) holds.
Since ξ < 1, then the series ∞ j j
P
j=1 ξ is convergent, that is, limj→∞ ξ = 0.
m m
Hence, for any large enough m ∈ N, ξ < 1. Thus, A is a contrac-
tion mapping. As a result, by Lemma 2.7, A has a unique fixed point u ∈
C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) which is the unique solution of the sequential ψ-Hilfer frac-
tional differential equation (1.1). This completes the proof.
84 Mohamed I. Abbas

The following theorem concerns the existence of solutions for the sequential
ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation (1.1) via Schaefer’s fixed point theorem.

Theorem 3.3. If the assumptions (A1) and (A3) hold. Then the sequential
ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation (1.1) has at least one solution on [a, b].

Proof. Consider A as in (3.3). The proof will be divided into several steps.

Step 1. The operator A is continuous.

Let un be a sequence such that un → u, as n → ∞ in C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R). Then
for each t ∈ [a, b], we have
|(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ((Aun )(t) − (Au)(t))|
 Z t 
 0 
≤ λ(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ ψ (s)(u n (s) − u(s))ds
 
a
 (ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ t 0
 Z 
α−1

+  ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) (f (s, un (s)) − f (s, u(s)))ds
 Γ(α) a
Z t  
0  2−γ

≤ λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (un (s) − u(s))ds
a
Z t  
1 0 
α−1  2−γ

+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) (ψ(t) − ψ(a)) (f (s, un (s)) − f (s, u(s)))ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))α
≤ λ(ψ(t) − ψ(a))kun (·) − u(·)kC2−γ;ψ + kf (·, un (·)) − f (·, u(·))kC2−γ;ψ
Γ(α + 1)
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
≤ λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a))kun (·) − u(·)kC2−γ;ψ + kf (·, un (·)) − f (·, u(·))kC2−γ;ψ ,
Γ(α + 1)

which implies that

k(Aun ) − (Au)kC2−γ;ψ ≤ λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a))kun (·) − u(·)kC2−γ;ψ

(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
+ kf (·, un (·)) − f (·, u(·))kC2−γ;ψ .
Γ(α + 1)

Therefore, from the continuity of the function f , it follows that the operator
A is continuous.

Step 2. A maps bounded sets into bounded sets in C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R).

We need to show that, for any r > 0, there exists a positive constant % > 0
such that, for each u ∈ Br = {u ∈ C2−γ;ψ [a, b] : kukC2−γ;ψ ≤ r}, we have
kAukC2−γ;ψ ≤ %. Therefore, for each t ∈ J, we have
On the nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equations 85

|(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ (Au)(t)|

 Z t 
|u0 |  2−γ 0 
≤ + λ(ψ(t) − ψ(a))
 ψ (s)u(s)ds
Γ(γ − 1) a
 (ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ t 0
 Z 
α−1

+  ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s)) f (s, u(s))ds
 Γ(α) a

Z t  
|u0 | 0  
≤ +λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ u(s)ds
Γ(γ − 1) a
(ψ(t) − ψ(a))2−γ t 0
Z
+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s))α−1 |f (s, u(s))|ds
Γ(α) a
Z t  
|u0 | 0  2−γ

≤ +λ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) u(s)ds
Γ(γ − 1) a
2−γ Z t
(ψ(t) − ψ(a)) 0
+ ψ (s)(ψ(t) − ψ(s))α−1 (M |u(s)| + N )ds
Γ(α) a
|u0 |
≤ + λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a))kukC1−γ;ψ
Γ(γ − 1)
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
N (ψ(b) − ψ(a))2−γ + M kukC2−γ;ψ


+
Γ(α + 1)
N (ψ(b) − ψ(a))2−γ+α M (ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
 
|u0 |
≤ + + λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + r := %.
Γ(γ − 1) Γ(α + 1) Γ(α + 1)

Thus,

kAukC2−γ;ψ ≤ %.

Step 3. A(Br ) is uniformly bounded and equicontinuous.

According to Step 2, we get kAukC2−γ;ψ ≤ %, for each u ∈ Br , which means

that A(Br ) is uniformly bounded. It remains to show that A(Br ) is equicon-
tinuous. For t1 , t2 ∈ [a, b] with t1 < t2 and each u ∈ Br , we have
86 Mohamed I. Abbas

|(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(a))2−γ (Au)(t2 ) − (ψ(t1 ) − ψ(a))2−γ (Au)(t1 )|

 Z t2 Z t1 
 2−γ 0 2−γ 0 
≤ λ(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(a)) ψ (s)u(s)ds − λ(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(a)) ψ (s)u(s)ds
a a
 (ψ(t2 ) − ψ(a))2−γ t2 0
 Z
+  ψ (s)(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(s))α−1 f (s, u(s))ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(a))2−γ t1 0
Z 
α−1

− ψ (s)(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(s)) f (s, u(s))ds
Γ(α) a
Z t2 Z t1
2−γ 0 2−γ 0
≤ λ(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(a)) ψ (s)|u(s)|ds − λ(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(a)) ψ (s)|u(s)|ds
a a
2−γ Z t2
 
(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(a)) 0 α−1 α−1
+ ψ (s) (ψ(t2 ) − ψ(s)) − (ψ(t1 ) − ψ(s)) |f (s, u(s))|ds
Γ(α) a
(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(a))2−γ t2 0
Z
+ ψ (s)(ψ(t1 ) − ψ(s))α−1 |f (s, u(s))|ds
Γ(α) t1
≤ λkukC2−γ;ψ (ψ(t2 ) − ψ(t1 ))


N (ψ(b) − ψ(a))2−γ + M kukC2−γ;ψ

α α
+ (ψ(t2 ) − ψ(s)) − (ψ(t1 ) − ψ(s))
Γ(α + 1)


N (ψ(b) − ψ(a))2−γ + M r

α α
≤ λ(ψ(t2 ) − ψ(t1 ))r + (ψ(t2 ) − ψ(s)) − (ψ(t1 ) − ψ(s)) .
Γ(α + 1)
As t1 → t2 , the right-hand side of the above inequality tends to zero. There-
fore, A(Br ) is equicontinuous. Hence, according to Arzelà-Ascoli Theorem, the
operator A is completely continuous.

Step 4. A priori bounds.

Set E(A) = {u ∈ C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R) : u = µ(Au), 0 < µ < 1}.

Next, we prove that E(A) is bounded in C2−γ;ψ ([a, b], R).

Let u ∈ E(A). Then u = µ(Au), 0 < µ < 1. For each t ∈ [a, b], using Step
2, we have
N (ψ(b) − ψ(a))2−γ+α M (ψ(b) − ψ(a))α
 
|u0 |
kukC2−γ;ψ ≤ + + λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + r
Γ(γ − 1) Γ(α + 1) Γ(α + 1)
= %.
Then, E(A) is bounded.

Schaefer’s fixed point theorem guarantees that A has a fixed point, which
is a solution of the sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation (1.1).
The proof is finished.
On the nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equations 87

4 Example
In this section, we present an example in order to illustrate the above theoret-
ical results.
Consider the following nonlinear sequential ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equa-
tion:
 31
1 11 1 1
 (D02+, 2 ;t + D02+, 2 ;t )u(t) =
 tan−1 u + e−t , t ∈ [0, 1],
7 2
4(1 + t ) 5 (4.1)
1
 ;t
I0+ u(0) = 1,
4


where, α = 23 , β = 12 , λ = 17 , u0 = 1, a = 0, b = 1, ψ(t) = t and f (t, u) =

1
4(1+t2 )
tan−1 u + 15 e−t .
Clearly, for any u, v ∈ R, we have
 
 1 −1 −1

|f (t, u) − f (t, v)| =  (tan u − tan v)
4(1 + t2 ) 
1
≤ 2
| tan−1 u − tan−1 v|
4(1 + t )
1
≤ |u − v|,
4
which implies that L = 41 .
 
 1 −1 1 −t 
|f (t, u)| = 
 tan u + e 
4(1 + t2 ) 5
 
1 −1
 1 −t 
≤ | tan u| +  e 

4(1 + t2 ) 5
1 1
≤ |u| + ,
4 5
which implies that M = 14 and N = 15 .
Now, by simple calculations, we get
(ψ(b) − ψ(a))α 1 1
λ(ψ(b) − ψ(a)) + L= +
= 0.330920337 < 1.
Γ(α + 1) 7 4Γ 52
Thus, all the assumptions of Theorem 3.2 are satisfied. Hence, the sequential
ψ-Hilfer fractional differential equation (4.1) has a unique solution on [0, 1].

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Received: February 25, 2020; Published: March 8, 2020