Let . The supplied equation has integrating factor :
Consequently the integral linear growth factor in a matter-Lambda universe gives the two independent solutions
The first is the conventional matter-era decaying mode. A finite lower limit in the second fixes a decaying admixture; adding a multiple of can choose a pure growing normalization.
During matter domination, write . The integral solution is
Removing the second term by the independent solution gives the matter-era linear growth factor
For positive cosmological constant at sufficiently late times, . The integrand approaches , whose tail is integrable. Therefore
Its remaining approach has leading behavior for the usual matter-plus-Lambda background. Growth of structure freezes rather than continuing as . The basis function also approaches a constant; subtracting a suitable multiple of it isolates a genuinely decaying late-time solution . The name “decaying mode” for refers to its matter-era behavior.
For matter plus a cosmological constant,
Set . Substitution into the equation from part (c) makes the coefficient of vanish by the Friedmann relation and leaves
or
Therefore the two independent modes can be written
The first is the decaying mode. Normalizing the second to at early times gives the integral linear growth factor in a matter-Lambda universe