Almost difference sets and their sequences with optimal autocorrelation

Almost difference sets have interesting applications in cryptography and coding theory. We give a well-rounded treatment of known families of almost difference sets, establish relations between some difference sets and some almost difference sets, and determine the numerical multiplier group of some families of almost difference sets. We also construct six new classes of almost difference sets, and four classes of binary sequences of period n/spl equiv/0 (mod 4) with optimal autocorrelation. We have also obtained two classes of relative difference sets and four classes of divisible difference sets (DDSs). We also point out that a result due to Jungnickel (1982) can be used to construct almost difference sets and sequences of period 4l with optimal autocorrelation.