Skew Hadamard difference sets from the Ree-Tits slice symplectic spreads in PG(3, 32h+1)

Using a class of permutation polynomials of F32h+1 obtained from the Ree–Tits slice symplectic spreads in PG(3,32h+1), we construct a family of skew Hadamard difference sets in the additive group of F32h+1 . With the help of a computer, we show that these skew Hadamard difference sets are new when h= 2 and h = 3. We conjecture that they are always new when h > 3. Furthermore, we present a variation of the classical construction of the twin prime power difference sets, and show that inequivalent skew Hadamard difference sets lead to inequivalent difference sets with twin prime power parameters. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.