Cyclotomic matrices and hypergeometric functions over finite fields (Q2672342)

Let \(q=2n+1\) be an odd prime power, \(\mathbb{F}_q\) a finite field with \(q\) elements, \(\chi\) a generator of the group of its multiplicative characters, \(\mathbb{F}_q^\times=\mathbb{F}_q\setminus\{0\}\), \(\mathbb{F}_q^{\times 2}=\{x^2:x\in\mathbb{F}^\times_q\}=\{\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_n\}\), \(d\in\mathbb{F}_q^\times\), and \(1\le r\le q-2\). The authors give formulas for the \(n\)-square determinant \(S_q(r,d)\) with \((i,j)\)th entry \(\chi^r(\alpha_i+d\alpha_j)\). A result by \textit{Z.-W. Sun} [Finite Fields Appl. 56, 285--307 (2019; Zbl 1411.11030)] is so extended. Further, let \(\phi\) be the quadratic multiplicative character of \(\mathbb{F}_q\) sending 0 to 0, each nonzero square to 1, and each nonsquare to \(-1\). Assuming that \(\operatorname{char}(\mathbb{F}_q)>3\), the authors give also formulas for the \(n\)-square determinant \(D(d,q)\) with \((i,j)\)th entry \((\alpha_i+d\alpha_j)\phi(\alpha_i+d\alpha_j)\). As a special case, a conjecture by Sun [loc. cit.], is so verified.