Difference Families in Z2d+1⊕Z2d+1 and Infinite Translation Designs in Z⊕Z

We analyse 3-subset difference families of Z_2d+1⊕Z_2d+1 arising as reductions (mod 2d+1) of particular families of 3-subsets of Z⊕Z. The latter structures, namely perfect d-families, can be viewed as 2-dimensional analogues of difference triangle sets having the least scope. Indeed, every perfect d-family is a set of base blocks which, under the natural action of the translation group Z⊕Z, cover all edges {(x,y),(x′,y′)} such that |x−x′|, |y−y′|≤d. In particular, such a family realises a translation invariant (G,K₃)-design, where V(G)=Z⊕Z and the edges satisfy the above constraint. For that reason, we regard perfect families as part of the hereby defined translation designs, which comprise and slightly generalise many structures already existing in the literature. The geometric context allows some suggestive additional definitions. The main result of the paper is the construction of two infinite classes of d-families. Furthermore, we provide two sporadic examples and show that a d-family may exist only if d≡0,3,8,11 (mod 12).