Permutation polynomials: A matrix analogue of Schur's conjecture and a survey of recent results (Q1891289)

Let \(m \geq 2\) be an integer. Every polynomial \(f \in \mathbb{Z} [X]\) induces in a natural way a mapping in the set \(M_m (K)\) of \(m \times m\) matrices over a field \(K\). The author shows that if \(f\) induces in this way a permutation of \(M_m (F_p)\) for infinitely many primes \(p\), then \(f\) is a composition of linear polynomials and certain Dickson polynomials. This is deduced from the solution of Schur's conjecture (case \(m = 1\) of the above statement) due to \textit{M. Fried} [Mich. Math. J. 17, 41-55 (1970; Zbl 0188.105)] and a criterion for permutation polynomial in \(M_m (K)\) for finite \(K\) due to \textit{J. V. Brawley}, \textit{L. Carlitz} and \textit{J. Levine} [Linear Algebra Appl. 10, 199-217 (1975; Zbl 0307.15004)]. Moreover the paper contains a survey of the development of the theory of permutation polynomials in recent years.