A construction of difference sets in high exponent 2-groups using representation theory (Q1321588)

The authors use representation theory to construct a family of difference sets with parameters \(v=2^{2d+2}\), \(k=2^{2d+1}\pm 2^ d\) and \(\lambda=2^{2d}\pm 2^ d\) in nonabelian groups of order \(v\) and exponent \(2^{d+3}\). This generalizes the construction for \(d=2\) due to \textit{R. A. Liebler} and \textit{K. Smith} [Coding theory, design theory, group theory; Proc. Marshall Hall Conf., 195-211 (1994)]. The significance of the result becomes clear in comparing it with the abelian case: Here Turyn's exponent bound \(\exp G\leq 2^{d+2}\) is a necessary and sufficient condition for any abelian group \(G\) of order \(v\) to admit a difference set, see \textit{R. G. Kraemer} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 63, No. 1, 1-10 (1993; Zbl 0771.05020)]. Thus there is now an infinite family of examples showing that Turyn's exponent bound cannot be extended to the nonabelian case.