Some permutation pentanomials over finite fields of even characteristic

Abstract

In a recent paper Zhang et al. constructed 17 families of permutation pentanomials of the form $x^t+x^{r_1(q-1)+t}+x^{r_2(q-1)+t}+x^{r_3(q-1)+t}+x^{r_4(q-1)+t}$ over $\mathbb{F}_{q^2}$ where $q=2^m$. In this paper for 14 of these 17 families we provide a simple explanation as to why they are permutations. We also extend these 14 families into three general classes of permutation pentanomials over $\mathbb{F}_{q^2}$.