Three Infinite Classes of APN Permutations on $Z_n$

Abstract

For any permutation of a nontrivial finite abelian group, the differential uniformity is at least two; permutations attaining this bound are called almost perfect nonlinear (APN). We construct three infinite classes of APN permutations on the cyclic group $\mathbb{Z}_n$ using Singer cycles, binomials inducing projective permutations, and completed reciprocals combined with parity and quadratic characters. The respective domain orders are $q+1$ for prime powers $q>2$, $(3^d-1)/2$ for integers $d\ge2$, and $2p$ for primes $p>5$ with $p\equiv5\pmod6$. Each class contains an infinite subclass of composite orders outside the standard forms $r-1$, $r-2$, $r-3$, and $r-4$, where $r$ is a prime power. These forms arise in the Welch--Costas, Panario--Sakzad--Stevens--Wang, and Golomb constructions. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first infinite APN constructions on $\mathbb{Z}_n$ reported since 2011 that yield infinitely many composite orders outside these standard forms.