Self-dual codes better than the Gilbert-Varshamov bound (Q1756002)

There are two main results in this paper: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[{\(\bullet\)}] For any finite field \(F=GF(q)\) of \(q\) elements, each linear self-orthogonal error-correcting code \(C\) of length \(n\) over \(F\) extends to a self-dual code, provided there is a self-dual code over \(F\) of length \(n\). (It is known that there is a self-dual code over \(F=GF(q)\) of length \(n\) if and only if either {(a)} \(n\) is even and \(q\equiv 1\pmod 4\), or {(b)} \(q\equiv 3\pmod 4\) and \(n\) is a multiple of \(4\).) \item[{\(\bullet\)}] Over any finite field \(F=GF(q)\), \(q\geq 64\) not a prime and \(q\not= 125\), there is an infinite family of self-dual codes which are asymptotically better than the Gilbert-Varshamov bound. More precisely, the parameters of these self-dual codes asymptotically meet the Tsfasman-Vladut-Zink bound. \end{itemize}} There are two ways in which the latter result improves what was known previously. First, it was known that if \(q\) is an \textit{even prime power} then there is an infinite family of self-dual codes which are asymptotically better than the Gilbert-Varshamov bound [\textit{H. Stichtenoth}, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 52, No. 5, 2218--2224 (2006; Zbl 1309.94190)]. Second, it was known that if \(q\) is an \textit{arbitrary prime power} then there is an infinite family of self-dual codes whose parameters asymptotically meet the Gilbert-Varshamov bound [\textit{V. Pless} and \textit{J. N. Pierce}, Inf. Control 23, 35--40 (1973; Zbl 0274.94012)]. This well-written paper gives a good historical introduction with references.