On multiple caps in finite projective spaces (Q2638405)

Let \(PG(t, q)\) be the \(t\)-dimensional projective geometry over the finite field with \(q\) elements. A \((k, n)\)-cap in \(PG(t, q)\) is a set of \(k\) points, some \(n\), but no \(n + 1\) of which are collinear. The authors consider new results on \((k, n)\)-caps with \(n > 2\). Here the authors provide a lower bound on the size of such caps. Furthermore, they generalize two product constructions for \((k, 2)\)-caps to caps with larger \(n\). They give explicit constructions for good caps with small \(n\). In particular, they determine the largest size of a \((k, 3)\)-cap in \(PG(3, 5)\), which turns out to be 44. The results on caps in \(PG(3, 5)\) provide a solution to four of the eight open instances of the main coding theory problem for \(q = 5\) and \(k = 4\).