On the exponents of APN power functions and Sidon sets, sum-free sets, and Dickson polynomials (Q6047447)

The authors show necessary conditions on \(d\) such that \(x^d\) is an APN-function on \(\mathbb{F}_{2^n}\), in terms of certain multiplicative subgroups of \(\mathbb{F}_{2^n}^*\) being sum-free sets and being Sidon sets in the additive group (i.e., it does not contain \(4\) distinct elements of which the sum is \(0\)). Necessary conditions on \(d\) such that \(x^d\) is an APN-function on \(\mathbb{F}_{2^n}\) are summarized (including the new conditions obtained in this paper), and the number of exponents satisfying all those conditions are determined, until \(n=48\). Relationships between APN exponents and Dickson polynomials are shown, for instance, it is shown that \(x^d\) is APN on \(\mathbb{F}_{2^n}\) if and only if the reciprocal \(x^dD_d(x^{-1},1)\) of the \(d\)th Dickson polynomial \(D_d(x,1)\), restricted to \(H^* = \{y\in\mathbb{F}_{2^n}^*\,:\,tr_n(y) = 0\}\) is injective, and does not take the value \(1\).