Fermat prime ($F_k\text{ prime}$)

A Fermat prime is a Fermat number that is also a prime number:The defining form alone does not imply primality. For example, $65537$ is a Fermat prime, while $4294967297$ is a Fermat number with proper divisors. For $k\ge 1$, every Fermat prime is one modulo four and two modulo three. Pépin's test gives an exact primality testing criterion for these candidates, rather than relying on their form.

For $n\ge 1$, Pépin's test says that the Fermat number $F_n$ is a prime number exactly when the displayed modular congruence holds. Modular exponentiation evaluates it by exponentiation by squaring without constructing the enormous ordinary power. The index restriction excludes $F_0=3$, where the base itself is divisible by the candidate.^[ref]

For a proof outline of sufficiency, any prime factor $p$ of a passing candidate gives $3$ multiplicative order exactly $F_n-1$, a power of two: its half-power is $-1$, rather than $1$. Fermat's little theorem forces $F_n-1\mid p-1$, so $p\ge F_n$, and hence $p=F_n$. Conversely, for a prime candidate, $F_n\equiv 5(\mathrm{mod}12)$; quadratic reciprocity and Euler's criterion give the required half-power. At $n=1$, the check is $3^2\equiv 4=-1(\mathrm{mod}5)$.

For a Fermat prime $p=2^{2^k}+1$, the multiplicative group modulo $p$ has order $2^{2^k}$. Its $\phi (p-1)=(p-1)/2$ primitive roots are all quadratic nonresidues; since there are also $(p-1)/2$ nonresidues, the two sets coincide.