In mathematics, the Carlitz exponential is a characteristic p analogue to the usual exponential function studied in real and complex analysis. It is used in the definition of the Carlitz module – an example of a Drinfeld module.
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Definition
We work over the polynomial ring Fq[T] of one variable over a finite field Fq with q elements. The completion C∞ of an algebraic closure of the field Fq((T−1)) of formal Laurent series in T−1 will be useful. It is a complete and algebraically closed field.
First we need analogues to the factorials, which appear in the definition of the usual exponential function. For i > 0 we define
and D0 := 1. Note that the usual factorial is inappropriate here, since n! vanishes in Fq[T] unless n is smaller than the characteristic of Fq[T].
Using this we define the Carlitz exponential eC:C∞ → C∞ by the convergent sum
Relation to the Carlitz module
The Carlitz exponential satisfies the functional equation
where we may view