Sets Avoiding Full-Rank Three-Point Patterns in $(\mathbb{F}_q^n)^k$ Are Exponentially Small

Abstract

We prove that if a subset of $(\mathbb{F}_q^n)^k$ (with $q$ an odd prime power) avoids a full-rank three-point pattern $\vec{x},\vec{x}+M_1\vec{d},\vec{x}+M_2\vec{d}$ then it is exponentially small, having size at most $3 \cdot c_q^{nk}$ where $0.8414 q \leq c_q \leq 0.9184 q$. This generalizes a theorem of Kova\u{c} and complements results of Berger, Sah, Sawhney and Tidor. As a consequence, we prove that if $3$ is a square in $\mathbb{F}_q$ then subsets of $(\mathbb{F}_q^n)^2$ avoiding equilateral triangles are exponentially small.