TITLE: Entire function $f(z)$ grows like $\exp(x^\pi)$ as $x\to+\infty$
QUESTION [15 upvotes]: Does there exists an entire function $f(z)$ such that $\lim_{x\to+\infty}f(x)/\exp(x^\pi)=1$ (along the real axis)?

I have successfully constructed $f(z)$ when $\pi$ is replaced by a rational number $\frac pq$.
For $\lim_{x\to+\infty}f(x)/\exp(x^{p/q})=1$, take $$f(z)=\exp(z^{p/q})+\exp(z^{p/q}e^{2/q\pi i})+\exp(z^{p/q}e^{4/q\pi i})+\cdots+\exp(z^{p/q}e^{2(q-1)/q\pi i})$$
It is easy to verify $\lim_{x\to+\infty}f(x)/\exp(x^{p/q})=1$.   

Proof of $f(z)$ is entire
  It is easy to see $f(z^q)$ is entire.   Denote $$g(z)=\exp(z^p)+\exp(z^pe^{2/q\pi i})+\exp(z^pe^{4/q\pi i})+\cdots+\exp(z^pe^{2(q-1)/q\pi i}),$$ $g$ has property $g(z)=g(ze^{2/q\pi i})$ and $f(z)=g(z^{1/q})$.
  Let $g(x)=a_0+a_1x+\cdots$, substituting $g(z)=g(ze^{2/q\pi i})$ repeatedly and solving the simultaneous equation gives $g(x)=a_0+a_qx^q+a_{2q}x^{2q}+\cdots$. Hence the entirety of $f$.

But for $\pi$? I can't take the limit with respect to $p/q$. I have no idea how to proceed.

REPLY [7 votes]: Let's start with the entire function 
$$ f_1(z) = \dfrac{1-e^{-z}}{z} $$
and let
$$
f_2(z) = \int_1^z f_1(w) \,\mathrm{d}w + \int_1^\infty\dfrac{e^{-t}}{t} \,\mathrm{d}t.
$$
(The last term is a real improper integral with the aim to cancel out the integral of $e^{-w}/w$.)
For real $x>1$, we have
\begin{align*}
f_2(x)
&= \int_1^x\left(\frac1t-\frac{e^{-t}}t\right) \,\mathrm{d}t
+ \int_1^\infty\dfrac{e^{-t}}{t} \,\mathrm{d}t \\
&= \log x + \int_x^\infty \dfrac{e^{-t}}{t} \,\mathrm{d}t \\
&= \log x + O(e^{-x}/x).
\end{align*}
Then consider $f_3(z) = \exp \big(\pi f_2(z)\big)$ and $f(z) = \exp f_3(z)$; we obtain
\begin{align*}
f_3(x) &= \exp\Big(\pi\log x + O(e^{-x}/x)\Big) \\
&= x^\pi\cdot\exp\Big(O(e^{-x}/x)\Big) \\
&= x^\pi\Big(1+O(e^{-x}/x)\Big) \\
&= x^\pi+O\big(x^{\pi-1}e^{-x}\big)
\end{align*}
so
\begin{align*}
f(x) &= \exp(f_3(x))
= \exp(x^\pi) \cdot \exp\Big(O\big(x^{\pi-1}e^{-x}\big)\Big) =\\
&= \exp(x^\pi) \cdot\Big(1+O\big(x^{\pi-1}e^{-x}\big)\Big),
\end{align*}
if $x\to+\infty$.
Therefore,
$$
f(z) = \exp \exp \Bigg( \pi\cdot \bigg(
\int_1^z \frac{1-e^{-w}}w \,\mathrm{d}w +
\int_1^\infty\dfrac{e^{-t}}{t} \,\mathrm{d}t
\bigg)\Bigg)
$$
is an entire function, satisfying $f(x)\sim e^{x^\pi}$ if $x$ is real and $x\to\infty$.