Newton's method applied to rational functions: Fixed points and Julia sets

Abstract

For a rational function $R$, let $N_R(z)=z-\frac{R(z)}{R'(z)}.$ Any such $N_R$ is referred to as a Newton map. We determine all the rational functions $R$ for which $N_R$ has exactly two attracting fixed points, one of which is an exceptional point. Further, if all the repelling fixed points of any such Newton map are with multiplier $2$, or the multiplier of the non-exceptional attracting fixed point is at most $\frac{4}{5}$, then its Julia set is shown to be connected. If a polynomial $p$ has exactly two roots, is unicritical but not a monomial, or $p(z)=z(z^n+a)$ for some $a \in \mathbb{C}$ and $n \geq 1$, then we have proved that the Julia set of $N_{\frac{1}{p}}$ is totally disconnected. For the McMullen map $f_{\lambda}(z)=z^m - \frac{\lambda}{z^n}$, $\lambda \in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{0\}$ and $m,n \geq 1$, we have proved that the Julia set of $N_{f_\lambda}$ is connected and is invariant under rotations about the origin of order $m+n$. All the connected Julia sets mentioned above are found to be locally connected.