$L$--functions and sum--free sets

Abstract

For set $A\subset {\mathbb {F}_p}^*$ define by ${\mathsf{sf}}(A)$ the size of the largest sum--free subset of $A.$ Alon and Kleitman showed that ${\mathsf{sf}} (A) \ge |A|/3+O(|A|/p).$ We prove that if ${\mathsf{sf}} (A)-|A|/3$ is small then the set $A$ must be uniformly distributed on cosets of each large multiplicative subgroup. Our argument relies on irregularity of distribution of multiplicative subgroups on certain intervals in ${\mathbb {F}_p}$.