  The $p$-ary function $f(x)$ mapping $\mathrm{GF}(p^{4k})$ to $\mathrm{GF}(p)$
given by $f(x)={\rm Tr}_{4k}\big(x^{p^{3k}+p^{2k}-p^k+1}+x^2\big)$ is proven to
be a weakly regular bent function and the exact values of its Walsh transform
coefficients are found. The proof is based on a few new results in the area of
exponential sums and polynomials over finite fields that may also be
interesting as independent problems.
