Constructions of optimal Hermitian self-dual codes from unitary matrices (Q2668088)

In this paper, the authors are interested in studying Hermitian self-dual codes over \(\mathbb{F}_{q^2}\). In the literature, there are a lot of results on Euclidean self-dual codes but not that much for the Hermitian case. There are two well-known constructions of Hermitian self-dual codes over large finite fields. One is due to \textit{P. Gaborit} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 97, No. 1, 85--107 (2002; Zbl 1022.94018)] and called the quadratic double circulant construction and the other is due to \textit{J.-L. Kim} and \textit{Y. Lee} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 105, No. 1, 79--95 (2004; Zbl 1044.94018)], and called building-up construction. The authors of this study, provide methods to construct unitary matrices and apply them to construct Hermitian self-dual codes over finite fields of prime power orders. Their methods allow the construction of Hermitian self-dual codes for all lengths in odd characteristic and for more lengths in even characteristic, then the previously known methods. They provide more than forty optimal Hermitian self-dual codes over large finite fields with new parameters.