New results on non-existence of generalized bent functions. II (Q2503794)

Let \(q\geq 2\) be an integer and \(\zeta_q\) a \(q\)-th primitive root of unity. Consider the functions \(f\colon {\mathbb Z}^n_q\to {\mathbb Z}_q\), where \({\mathbb Z}_q=\mathbb Z/q\mathbb Z\). One says that \(f\) is a generalized bent function (GBF) of type \([n,q]\) if, for all \(y=(y_1,\dots, y_n)\in {\mathbb Z}^n_q\), \[ \Big | \sum_{x\in \mathbb{Z}^n_q}\zeta^{f(x)-x \cdot y}_q\Big | =q^{n/2}, \] where \(x\cdot y\) stands for the dot product. \textit{P. V. Kumar, R. A. Scholtz} and \textit{L. R. Welch} [J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 40, No. 1, 90--107 (1985; Zbl 0585.94016)] constructed GBF's for all types \([n,q]\) with even \(n\) or \(q\not\equiv 2\pmod 4\). The authors focus on the remaining case where \(n\) is odd and \(q=2N\) with \(N\) odd. In this case no GBF's are known. Under various additional conditions this also has been proved, for example if \(N\) divides a number of the form \(2^m+1\) with \(m\) positive (see ibid.). In this paper the authors establish various further non-existence results on GBF's involving certain Diophantine conditions (thus continuing the line of research of an earlier paper [Chin. Ann. Math., Ser. A 24, No. 4, 445--452 (2003; Zbl 1050.11101)]). The proofs make use of algebraic number theory, in particular of decomposition fields.