On maximal curves and linearized permutation polynomials over finite fields (Q5945495)

Let \(f(x)=a_0x+a_1x^q +\cdots + a_{n-1}x^{q^{n-1}}\) be a linearized polynomial in \({\mathbb F}_{q^n}[x]\). The author gives a criterion for \(f(x)\) to be a permutation polynomial over \({\mathbb F}_{q^{ns}}\) for \(1\leq s\leq (q^{n-1}-1)/2\). When this holds, it is shown that the \(L\)-function of the curve \(y^2=f(x)\) is \(1+q^gt^{2g}\), with \(g=(q^{n-1}-1)/2\), and hence this curve is maximal over \({\mathbb F}_{q^{2ng}}\). Explicit constructions of maximal curves are given using these results.