Further results on complete permutation monomials over finite fields (Q2422153)

Recently, there is an increased level of interest in the study of permutation polynomials over rings, especially over finite fields. The main focal points of the article are three conjectures. Let \(\mathbb{F_q}\) be a finite field of order \(q=p^k\), where \(p\) is prime. A complete permutation polynomial (CPP) is a polynomial f(x) with the property that both f(x) and f(x)+x induce bijections of \(\mathbb{F}_q\). For any \(a \in \mathbb{F}_{p^{nk}}\) , let \(a_i = a_{p^{ik}}\), where \(0 \leq i \leq n - 1\). Define \[h_a (x) = x\Pi_{i=0}^{n-1}(x+a_i).\] The following two conjectures were put forwarded by \textit{G. Wu} et al. [Sci. China, Math. 58, No. 10, 2081--2094 (2015; Zbl 1325.05013)]. Conjecture 1: Let \(n + 1\) be a prime such that \(n + 1 \neq p\). Let \((n, k) = 1\) and \((n + 1, p^2- 1) = 1\), and \(d = \frac{p^{nk}-1} {p^k-1} + 1\). Then there exists \(a in \mathbb{F}^*_ {p^{nk}}\) such that \(h_a (x)\) is a Dickson polynomial of degree \(n + 1\) over \(F_{p^{k}}\) . Conjecture 2: Let \(p\) be an odd prime. Let \(n +1= p\) and \(d = \frac{p^{nk}-1} {p^k-1} + 1\), then \(a^{-1}x^d\) is a CPP over \(\mathbb{F}_{p^{nk}}\) , where \(a \in \mathbb{F}^*_{p^{nk}}\) such that \(a^{p^{k}}-1 = -1\). The authors have shown that the conjecture 1 is not true in general by providing a counter example using the computer algebra system MAGMA (developed by Prof John Cannon at the University of Sydney, Australia). The conjecture 2 was first proven by \textit{J. Ma} et al. [Des. Codes Cryptography 83, No. 2, 425--443 (2017; Zbl 1369.11091)]. The authors could reconfirm conjecture 2 and they have extended the result more general \(n\) such that \(n | p-1\) and more general \(a\)'s such that \(a^{p^k}-1\in\mu_n - {1}\) where \(\mu_n\) is the set of all primitive \(n^{th}\) root of unity and \(n > 2\). Complete permutation polynomials have recently become a strong source of interest due to their connection to combinatorial objects such as orthogonal Latin squares as well as their applications in cryptography.