 Solution

For $z\in \mathbb{C}\setminus [1,\infty )$, the number $w=1-z$ avoids the nonpositive real axis. Define the branch of the complex logarithm byHere the principal argument is selected as a continuous map on that slit domain, so this is a holomorphic function, with derivative $-1/(1-z)$ and $L(1)=0$. For example, locally writing $w=\rho e^{i\varphi }$ gives $d(\log \rho +i\varphi )=dw/w$, verifying the complex derivative. The normalization also makes this branch of the complex logarithm unique: any two continuous choices differ by a constant integer multiple of $2\pi i$ on the connected slit domain, and their values at $w=1$ agree.

To evaluate the corresponding analytic branch of a square root on the unit circle, factorFor $0<\theta <2\pi$, we have $\sin (\theta /2)>0$ and $-\pi /2<\theta /2-\pi /2<\pi /2$. Thus this factorization already uses the selected principal argument, with no hidden change by $2\pi$. It follows thatHalving this expression and applying the exponential function givesSince $\sqrt{2}{e}^{-i\pi /4}=1-i$, the desired branch value isFor instance, $\theta =\pi$ gives $\sqrt{2}>0$, a quick check that the sign agrees with the normalization.