A class of linear sets in \(\mathrm{PG} (1,q^5)\) (Q2066409)

A linear set of rank \(k\) in \(\mathrm{PG}(1,q^t)\) is a set \(L_U\) of the form \(\{\langle v\rangle_{q^t}\mid v\in U^*\}\) where \(U\) is a \(k\)-dimensional \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-vector subspace of \(W\), and \(W\) is the two-dimensional vector space over \(\mathbb{F}_{q^t}\) corresponding to \(\mathrm{PG}(1,q^t)\). An \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-linear set of rank \(k\) is called \textit{scattered} if it contains the maximum number of points, that is \(\frac{q^k-1}{q-1}\), and a scattered linear set of rank \(t\) in \(\mathrm{PG}(1,q^t)\) is called \textit{maximum scattered}. Maximum scattered linear sets (MSLS) in \(\mathrm{PG}(1,q^t)\) have been classified for \(t\leq 4\). In this paper, the authors focus on the case \(t=5\) where there are three non-equivalent MSLS known but no full classification. The authors first show that a linear set defined by the polynomial \(f(x)=x^q+bx^{q^2}\) is never MSLS provided \(q\geq 223\) (or \(q\leq 17\), where the latter was shown by computer). The main part of the paper studies those linear sets of the form \[\{(x-\alpha x^{q^2},x^q-\beta x^{q^2})\mid x\in \mathbb{F}_{q^5}\}.\] The authors carefully investigate the conditions on \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) under which this linear set is scattered of rank \(5\), and more importantly, when this linear set is equivalent to one of the known MSLS's. As a corollary, they find a precise condition that, if satisfied for a certain \(\alpha,\beta\), would yield new MSLS.