GF(p^n) refers to a finite field, also known as a Galois field, which is constructed using a prime number p and a positive integer n. The notation indicates that the field contains p^n elements. Finite fields are essential in various areas of mathematics, particularly in coding theory and cryptography. In GF(p^n), arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are defined modulo a polynomial of degree n over the field GF(p). This structure allows for the creation of complex algebraic systems while ensuring that every non-zero element has a multiplicative inverse, making it a crucial tool in both theoretical and applied mathematics.