Generalised Bhaskar Rao designs over non-Abelian groups
A generalised Bhaskar Rao design GBRD\((v,k,t| G|;G)\) is a \(v\times b\) matrix with entries from a group \(G\) or zero such that each column has \(k\) entries from \(G\) and the inner product of distinct rows, with the elements of \(G\) in the second row replaced by their inverses, giving \(t\) copies of \(G\). The author constructs the following examples: GBRD\((v,3,2n;D_{2n})\) for all \(v\equiv 1\) or \(3\pmod 6\) when \(D_{2n}\) is a dihedral group of doubly even order; GBRD\((v,3,2^ n;Q_{2^ n})\) for all \(v\equiv 1\) or \(3\pmod 6\) where \(Q_{2^ n}\) is the generalised quaternion group of order \(2^ n\); GBRD\((v,3,2n;D_{2n})\) for all \(v\equiv 1\) or \(9\pmod {12}\), where \(D_{2n}\) is a dihedral group of singly even order. For the first two classes the construction reduces essentially to showing that each group admits an orthomorphism. The third class is obtained by constructing something like an orthomorphism but acting only on the complement of a subgroup. The examples given yield, in effect, near complete mappings of the groups. These results can certainly be generalised.
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 562648