In mathematical complex analysis, Schottky's theorem, introduced by Schottky (1904) is a quantitative version of Picard's theorem. It states that for a holomorphic functionf in the open unit disk that does not take the values 0 or 1, the value of |f(z)| can be bounded in terms of z and f(0).
Schottky's original theorem did not give an explicit bound for f. Ostrowski (1931, 1933) gave some weak explicit bounds. Ahlfors (1938, theorem B) gave a strong explicit bound, showing that if f is holomorphic in the open unit disk and does not take the values 0 or 1, then
.
Several authors, such as Jenkins (1955), have given variations of Ahlfors's bound with better constants: in particular Hempel (1980) gave some bounds whose constants are in some sense the best possible.
Hempel, Joachim A. (1980), "Precise bounds in the theorems of Schottky and Picard", Journal of the London Mathematical Society, 21 (2): 279–286, doi:10.1112/jlms/s2-21.2.279, ISSN0024-6107, MR0575385
Schottky, F. (1904), "Über den Picardschen Satz und die Borelschen Ungleichungen", Sitzungsberichte der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin: 1244–1263