Construction of caps by means of caps in complementary subspaces (Q998545)

A \textit{cap} in PG\((n,q)\) is a set of points of PG\((n,q)\), no three collinear. The main problem in the theory of caps is the construction of large caps in PG\((n,q)\), \(n\geq 4\), since there are no classical examples of large caps in these spaces. A set of two points \(x\) and \(y\) of a cap is called a \textit{free pair} of points if every plane through the line \(xy\) has at most one extra point in common with the cap. Caps with free pairs of points are of interest in the area of statistical experimental design. \textit{J. Farr} and \textit{P. Lisonek} [J. Geom. 85, 35--41 (2006; Zbl 1110.51008)] gave an upper bound on the size of a cap in PG\((n,q)\), having at least one free pair of points. This bound is sharp for \(n=2,3,4\). In this article, the authors prove that the upper bound of Farr and Lisonek is also sharp in PG\((5,q)\), \(q\) even, \(q>2\). This upper bound in PG\((5,q)\), \(q\) even, is equal to \(q^3+q^2+q+3\). The authors present in this article a cone-like construction on caps which involves two disjoint subspaces \(T\) and \(U\), and caps in these spaces \(T\) and \(U\), which guarantees the construction of caps with at least one free pair of points. For PG\((5,q)\), \(q\) even, \(q>2\), the construction gives a cap of size \(q^3+q^2+q+3\) with at least one free pair of points, showing the sharpness of the upper bound of Farr and Lisonek in this case.