The hard X-ray luminosity function of high-redshift (3 < z ≲ 5) active galactic nuclei

We present the hard-band (2-10 keV) X-ray luminosity function (1-1XLF) of 0.5-2 keV band selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshift. We have assembled a sample of 141 AGN at 3 < z less than or similar to 5 from X-ray surveys of different size and depth, in order to sample different regions in the L-X - z plane. The HXLF is fitted in the range log L-X similar to 43-45 with standard analytical evolutionary models through a maximum likelihood procedure. The evolution of the HXLF is well described by a pure density evolution, with the AGN space density declining by a factor of similar to 10 from z = 3 to 5. A luminosity-dependent density evolution model, which, normally, best represents the HXLF evolution at lower redshift, is also consistent with the data, but a larger sample of low-luminosity (log L-X <44), high-redshift AGN is necessary to constrain this model. We also estimated the intrinsic fraction of AGN obscured by a column density log N-H >= 23 to be 0.54 +/- 0.05, with no strong dependence on luminosity. This fraction is higher than the value in the Local Universe, suggesting an evolution of the luminous (L-X > 10(44) erg s(-1)) obscured AGN fraction from z = 0 to z > 3.