Remarks on Inner Functions and Optimal Approximants

Abstract

We discuss the concept of inner function in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces with an orthogonal basis of monomials and examine connections between inner functions and optimal polynomial approximants to $1/f$, where $f$ is a function in the space. We revisit some classical examples from this perspective, and show how a construction of Shapiro and Shields can be modified to produce inner functions.

17 pages, fixed typos