The factorization of the permanent of a matrix with minimal rank in prime characteristic (Q663475)

It is known that any square matrix \(A\) of size \(n\) over a field of prime characteristic \(p\) of rank less than \(n/(p-1)\) has permanent equal to zero. The paper gives a new proof of this using the invariant \(X_p\) defined in [Des. Codes Cryptography 58, No. 2, 155--172 (2011; Zbl 1229.05303)]. Furthermore it is shown that if \(A\) has rank exactly \(m=n/(p-1)\), then \(A = BC\) where \(B^t\) and \(C\) are \(m \times n\) matrices and the permanent of \(A\) factors as \((-1)^m X_p(B^t) \cdot X_p(C)\).