LIOUVILLES THEOREM AND ITS EXTENSIONS

The following results are frequently used in the complex analysis proofs when entire functions have polynomial growths, or when order of an entire function is given nite. Theorem 1. (Liouville) A bounded entire function is constant. Theorem 2. Suppose an entire function f satises the growth condition |f (z)| A + B|z|k for some A, B > 0 and k 0, k Z. Then f is a polynomial of degree at most k. Proof. Note that the case k = 0 is Liouvilles theorem. We argue by induction. Dene g(z) = f (z)f (z) if z = 0 and g(0) = f (0). Then g is entire (look at the power series of f z and try to write g). By hypothesis, we have |g(z)| C + D|z|k1 and hence by induction hypothesis now, g is a polynomial of degree at most k 1. Hence, f is a polynomial of degree at most k. Theorem 3. If f = u + iv is an analytic function in D(0, R) and continuous on the closure, then (1) f (z) = 1 2
2

u(Rei )
0

Rei + z d + iv(0). Rei z Rei + z Rei z

Proof. Observe that we have (2) where Re (3)

Rei +z Rei z Rei +z Rei z

f (z) =

1 2

f (Rei )Re
0

d,

is the Poisson kernel for the disc with center 0 and radius R. Let g(z) = 1 2
2

u(Rei )
0

Rei + z d. Rei z

Since is analytic function of z for each and since g is continous, it follows by Moreras theorem that g is analytic in D(0, R). Now compare (2) and (3) to get Ref (z) = Reg(z) = 1 2
2 2

u(Rei )Re
0

Rei + z Rei z

d.

Therefore, there exists an a R such that f (z) = g(z) + ia, that is, f (z) = 1 2 u(Rei )
0

Rei + z d + ia. Rei z

Evaluate at z = 0 and use Mean-Value Theorem for u to get a = v(0) and hence (1). Denition 4. For a real-valued function g, set g + (z) = g(z) if g(z) > 0 and g + (z) = 0 otherwise. Similarly, g (z) = g(z) if g(z) < 0 and g + (z) = 0 Lemma 5. Let g be real-valued and continuous on [a, b]. If then
b b a

g(x)dx = and if

b a

g + (x)dx ,

|g(x)|dx 2 + ||.
a 1

LIOUVILLES THEOREM AND ITS EXTENSIONS

Proof. Observe that g = g + g and |g| = g + + g . We have

b b

g (x)dx =
a a b

g + (x)dx

so that
a

|g(x)|dx 2 2 + ||.

Now, our nal theorem: Theorem 6. If for an entire function f , one of the four inequalities A|z|n Ref (z) A|z|n A|z|n Imf (z) A|z|n holds for suciently large z, then f is a polynomial of degree at most n. Proof. Wlog, we may assume Ref (z) A|z|n holds. The others can be done similarly considering the functions obtained after multiplying f by 1 or i or i. Let R = 2|z|, with |z| large. Then Rei + z 3 Rei z and hence by Theorem (3) we get (4)
2 3 |u(Rei )|d + |f (0)|, with u = Ref. 2 0 By the hypothesis, for |z| large we have

|f (z)| =

2 1 u+ (Rei )d ARn = A2n |z|n 2 0 and also by the Mean-Value Theorem for u we have 2 1 u(Rei )d = u(0). 2 0 Now, by the lemma above applied to u, we obtain 2

|u(Rei )|d A2n+1 |z|n + |u(0)|

0

so that getting back to (4), we obtain |f (z)| = A1 |z|n + A2 . Now, applying Theorem 3, we get the result.