Real exponential sums over primes and prime gaps

Abstract

We prove that given $\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$ such that $0 < \lambda < 1$, then $\pi(x + x^\lambda) - \pi(x) \sim \displaystyle \frac{x^\lambda}{\log(x)}$. This solves a long-standing problem concerning the existence of primes in short intervals. In particular, we give a positive answer (for all sufficiently large number) to some old conjectures about prime numbers, such as Legendre's conjecture about the existence of at least two primes between two consecutive squares.