Simultaneous avoidance of large squares and fractional powers in infinite binary words

Abstract

In 1976, Dekking showed that there exists an infinite binary word that contains neither squares yy with y >= 4 nor cubes xxx. We show that `cube' can be replaced by any fractional power > 5/2. We also consider the analogous problem where `4' is replaced by any integer. This results in an interesting and subtle hierarchy.