Cyclic relative difference sets with classical parameters (Q5937128)

Let \(G\) be a finite group of order \(mn\) and \(N\) a normal subgroup of \(G\) of order \(n\). A \(k\)-element subset \(D\) of \(G\) is called an \((m, n, k, \lambda)\)-relative difference set in \(G\) relative to \(N\) if every element in \(G/N\) has exactly \(\lambda\) representations \(r_1r^{-1}_2\) (or \(r_1- r_2\) if \(G\) is additive) with \(r_1,r_2\in D\) and no non-identity element in \(N\) has such a representation. When \(n=1\), \(D\) is an \((m, k, \lambda)\)-difference set in the usual sense. A difference set or relative difference set is called cyclic if the group is cyclic. The authors investigate the existence of cyclic relative difference sets with parameters \(\{(q^d-1)/(q- 1), n, q^{d-1}, q^{d- 2}(q- 1)/n\}\), \(q\) any prime power. In fact one can think of relative difference sets as ``liftings'' or ``extensions'' of difference sets. Among difference sets, which can be lifted, the complements of Singer difference sets have attracted most of the attention because of their relationship with finite projective geometry. When \(q\) is odd or \(d\) is even, the authors find that the relative difference sets with these parameters exist if and only if \(n\) is a divisor of \(q-1\). In the case \(q\) is even and \(d\) is odd, relative difference sets with these parameters exist if and only if \(n\) is a divisor of \(2(q- 1)\). In view of the constructions of relative difference sets given by the authors in this paper, Pott asked if there exists an \((m, n, k,\lambda)\)-relative difference set whose projection is a difference set with parameters \(\{(q^d- 1)/(q- 1), q^{d-1}, q^{d-2}(q- 1)\}\), where \(n\neq 2\) and \(n\) is not a divisor of \(q-1\). The authors give a complete answer to this question for the case of cyclic difference sets.