Definition 1 An inner function u in H ∞ is said to be a one-component inner function if there is η ∈]0, 1[ such that the level set (also called sublevel set or filled level set) � u (η) := {z ∈ D : |u(z)| < η} is connected.One-component inner functions, the collection of which we denote by I c , were first studied by Cohn [10] in connection with embedding theorems and Carleson measures. It was shown that [for instance, [10], p. 355] arclength on {z ∈ D : |u(z)| = ε} is such a measure whenever is connected and η < ε < 1.A thorough study of the class I c was given by Aleksandrov [1] who showed the interesting result that u ∈ I c if and only if there is a constant C = C(u) such that for all a ∈ D Many operator-theoretic applications are given in [1][2][3]7]. In our paper here, we are interested in explicit examples, which are somewhat lacking in the literature. For example, if S is the atomic inner function, which is given by
AbstractWe explicitly unveil several classes of inner functions u in H ∞ with the property that there is η ∈]0, 1[ such that the level set � u (η) := {z ∈ D : |u(z)| < η} is connected. These so-called one-component inner functions play an important role in operator theory.