Stern polynomials and algebraic independence

Abstract

Let $t\geq2$ and $k\geq1$ be integers. Let $H_{k}(z)$ with $\left\vert z\right\vert <1$ be the limit of a certain subsequence of the Stern polynomials introduced by Dilcher and Eriksen. We use Mahler's method to prove the algebraic independence of the values at nonzero algebraic points of the functions $H_{k}(z)$ and $H_{k}(z^{t^{k}})$.