Primes with Restricted-Digit Differences

Source abstract

Fix a base $b\ge2$ and a digit set $\mathcal{D}\subset\{0,1,\dots,b-1\}$, and let $\mathcal C_k$ be the set of integers in $[0,b^k)$ whose $k$ base-$b$ digits all lie in $\mathcal D$. We study prime pairs and three-term arithmetic progressions in primes whose difference, or common difference, belongs to $\mathcal C_k$. Under a natural digit non-resonance condition, we establish a localized Fourier criterion guaranteeing asymptotic formulae with explicit leading constants for both problems. Using a transfer-operator argument, we verify this criterion in explicit parameter ranges for several natural families of digit sets.