Polynomial factorization over finite fields by computing Euler–Poincaré characteristics of Drinfeld modules

We propose and rigorously analyze two randomized algorithms to factor univariate polynomials over finite fields using rank 2 Drinfeld modules. The first algorithm estimates the degree of an irreducible factor of a polynomial from Euler–Poincaré characteristics of random Drinfeld modules. Knowledge of a factor degree allows one to rapidly extract all factors of that degree. As a consequence, the problem of factoring polynomials over finite fields in time nearly linear in the degree is reduced to finding Euler–Poincaré characteristics of random Drinfeld modules with high probability. The second algorithm is a random Drinfeld module analogue of Berlekamp's algorithm. During the course of its analysis, we prove a new bound on degree distributions in factorization patterns of polynomials over finite fields in certain short intervals.