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Base c making a Poisson exponential a martingale

Question

Let N(t)N(t) be a Poisson process of rate λ>0\lambda>0. For a constant c>0c>0 define S(t)=exp⁡ ⁣(N(t)log⁡c−λt)=cN(t)e−λtS(t)=\exp\!\big(N(t)\log c-\lambda t\big)=c^{N(t)}e^{-\lambda t}. For which value of cc is S(t)S(t) a martingale?

Short answer

c=2c=2. By independent increments, E[St∣Fs]=Ss e−λ(t−s) E[cN(t)−N(s)]=Ss eλ(t−s)(c−2)\mathbb{E}[S_t\mid\mathcal F_s]=S_s\,e^{-\lambda(t-s)}\,\mathbb{E}[c^{N(t)-N(s)}]=S_s\,e^{\lambda(t-s)(c-2)}, using the Poisson generating function E[cN]=eμ(c−1)\mathbb{E}[c^{N}]=e^{\mu(c-1)}. This equals SsS_s for all s<ts<t only when c=2c=2.

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