On the construction of irreducible self-reciprocal polynomials over finite fields (Q2277017)

The transformation \(f(x)\to f^ Q(x)=x^{\deg f(x)}f(x+1/x)\) for \(f(x)\in {\mathbb F}_ q[x]\) is studied. Simple criteria are found to determine when the irreducibility of \(f(x)\) implies the irreducibility of \(f^ Q(x)\). The enumeration of self-reciprocal irreducible monic polynomials is given. The following is shown: If \(f(x)=x^ n+\dots+a_ 1x+a_ 0\in {\mathbb F}_{2^ k}[x]\), \(k\geq 1\), is an irreducible polynomial, then \(f^ Q(x)\) is irreducible iff the absolute trace of \(a_ 1/a_ 0\) is equal to 1. This extends an earlier result of \textit{R. R. Varshamov} and \textit{G. A. Garakov} [Bull. Math. Soc. Sci. Math. R. S. Roum. 13(61), 403--415 (1970; Zbl 0228.12003)] over \({\mathbb F}_ 2\). For fields of odd characteristic it is shown that if \(f(x)\) is an irreducible monic polynomial over \({\mathbb F}_ q\) then \(f^ Q(x)\) is irreducible iff \(f(2)f(-2)\) is a nonsquare in \({\mathbb F}_ q\). It is also shown how to construct an infinite sequence of irreducible polynomials.