Free unit groups in group algebras (Q5956262)

Let \(K\) be a field and \(G\) be a finite group, which satisfies one of the following conditions: (i) \(K\) is of characteristic \(0\) and \(G\) is nonabelian; (ii) \(K\) is of characteristic \(p\) and for the largest normal \(p\)-subgroup \(P\) of \(G\) the factor-group \(G/P\) is nonabelian. It is well-known that the group of units \(U(KG)\) contains a nonabelian free subgroup, because \(\text{GL}(2,K)\) contains a free subgroup. Let \(H=\langle a\rangle\) be a prime order subgroup of \(G\). We say that \(u_a\in U(KH)\) is a `special unit' if one of the following conditions is satisfied: 1. \(K\) is a field of characteristic 0 and \(u_a=(a-r)(a-s)^{-1}\) for suitable \(r,s\in\mathbb{Z}\) with \(r,s\geq 2\). 2. \(K\) is a field of characteristic \(p>0\), the order of \(H\) is prime to \(p\) and \(u_a=(a-r)(a-s)^{-1}\) for suitable \(r,s\in K\) that are positive powers of a fixed transcendental element \(t\in K\) over the prime subfield \(K_p\). 3. \(K\) is a field of characteristic \(p>0\), \(H=\langle a\rangle\) is a subgroup of order \(p\) and \(u_a=1+t(1+a+a^2+\cdots+a^{p-1})\), where \(t\in K\) is transcendental over the prime subfield \(K_p\). In the present paper the authors prove that there exist two prime order subgroups \(H_1\) and \(H_2\) of \(G\), and two special units \(u\in U(KH_1)\) and \(v\in U(KH_2)\), such that the subgroup \(\langle u,v\rangle\) is free. Moreover, the subgroup of \(U(KG)\) generated by units of the form \(g-c\) with \(g\in G\) and \(c\in K\) also has a nonabelian free subgroup.