Derandomizing Polynomial Identity over Finite Fields Implies Super-Polynomial Circuit Lower Bounds for NEXP

Abstract

We show that derandomizing polynomial identity testing over an arbitrary finite field implies that NEXP does not have polynomial size boolean circuits. In other words, for any finite field F(q) of size q, $PIT_q\in NSUBEXP\Rightarrow NEXP\not\subseteq P/poly$, where $PIT_q$ is the polynomial identity testing problem over F(q), and NSUBEXP is the nondeterministic subexpoential time class of languages. Our result is in contract to Kabanets and Impagliazzo's existing theorem that derandomizing the polynomial identity testing in the integer ring Z implies that NEXP does have polynomial size boolean circuits or permanent over Z does not have polynomial size arithmetic circuits.