Lattices from codes over \(\mathbb {Z}_q\): generalization of constructions \(D\), \(D'\) and \(\overline{D}\) (Q2402971)

A real lattice is a discrete additive subgroup of Euclidean \(n\) space. The authors extend constructions \(D, D'\) and \(\overline{D}\) from finite fields to the rings \(Z_q\). They show that construction \(D\) always produces a lattice and that a lattice obtained by this construction from a chain of \(k\) nested linear codes over \(Z_q\) is always obtainable from Construction \(A\) (up to a scaling factor) using a code over \(Z_{q^k}.\) They define an extension of the Schur product and prove that Construction \(\overline{D}\) produces a lattice if and only if the nested codes are closed under this operation. They generalize Construction \(A'\) to the real case and show that it gives a lattice if an only if the corresponding code over \(Z_q[X]/X^a\) is closed under the extension of the Schur product.