Improved estimates for polynomial Roth type theorems in finite fields

Abstract

We prove that, under certain conditions on the function pair $φ_1$ and $φ_2$, bilinear average $p^{-1}\sum_{y\in \mathbb{F}_p}f_1(x+φ_1(y)) f_2(x+φ_2(y))$ along curve $(φ_1, φ_2)$ satisfies certain decay estimate. As a consequence, Roth type theorems hold in the setting of finite fields. In particular, if $φ_1,φ_2\in \mathbb{F}_p[X]$ with $φ_1(0)=φ_2(0)=0$ are linearly independent polynomials, then for any $A\subset \mathbb{F}_p, |A|=δp$ with $δ>c p^{-\frac{1}{12}}$, there are $\gtrsim δ^3p^2$ triplets $x,x+φ_1(y), x+φ_2(y)\in A$. This extends a recent result of Bourgain and Chang who initiated this type of problems, and strengthens the bound in a result of Peluse, who generalized Bourgain and Chang's work. The proof uses discrete Fourier analysis and algebraic geometry.