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Let m=∣A∣m=|A|. By Singer's theorem, for every prime power qq there is a set T⊂[1,L]∩ZT\subset[1,L]\cap\mathbb Z, where L=q2+q+1L=q^2+q+1 and ∣T∣=q+1|T|=q+1, with unique nonzero differences modulo LL. Its ordinary nonzero differences are therefore unique. This implies strong Sidonicity: a nontrivial pair-sum equality would give two distinct ordered pairs with the same nonzero difference, also when a summand is repeated.

For each positive difference represented in AA, delete one endpoint of the pair of TT representing that difference, if it exists. The remaining set T′T' is strong Sidon, shares no positive difference with AA, and has size at least q+1−(m2)q+1-\binom m2.

Take qq large enough that L>NL>N, and put

B=(L+N)+T′,M=2L+N.B=(L+N)+T',\qquad M=2L+N.

Old-old sums are at most 2N2N. Old-new sums lie between L+N+2L+N+2 and 2L+2N2L+2N. New-new sums are at least 2L+2N+22L+2N+2. These intervals are disjoint. Each of the old-old and new-new types is separately Sidon. An equality between two different old-new pairs would yield a common nonzero difference of AA and T′T', which the deletions excluded. Thus A∪BA\cup B is strong Sidon and

∣A∪B∣≥q+1+m−(m2)=(12+o(1))M.|A\cup B|\ge q+1+m-\binom m2 =\left(\frac1{\sqrt2}+o(1)\right)\sqrt M.

Here A,NA,N are fixed while qq tends to infinity through prime powers. This gives arbitrarily large MM for every fixed positive ε\varepsilon.