Taylor coefficients and zeroes of entire functions of exponential type

Abstract: Let $F$ be an entire function of exponential type represented by the Taylor series [ F(z) = \sum_{n\ge 0} \omega_n \frac{z^n}{n!} ] with unimodular coefficients $|\omega_n|=1$. We show that either the counting function $n_F(r)$ of zeroes of $F$ grows linearly at infinity, or $F$ is an exponential function. The same conclusion holds if only a positive asymptotic proportion of the coefficients $\omega_n$ is unimodular. This significantly extends a classical result of Carlson (1915). The second result requires less from the coefficient sequence $\omega$, but more from the counting function of zeroes $n_F$. Assuming that $0<c\le |\omega_n| \le C <\infty$, $n\in\mathbb Z_+$, we show that $n_F(r) = o(\sqrt{r})$ as $r\to\infty$, implies that $F$ is an exponential function. The same conclusion holds if, for some $\alpha<1/2$, $n_F(r_j)=O(r_j^{\alpha})$ only along a sequence $r_j\to\infty$. Furthermore, this conclusion ceases to hold if $n_F(r)=O(\sqrt r)$ as $r\to\infty$.