The Maximum Size of a Partial Spread in $H(4 n +1, q^2)$ is $q^{2 n +1}+1$

Abstract

We prove that in every finite Hermitian polar space of odd dimension and even maximal dimension $\rho$ of the totally isotropic subspaces, a partial spread has size at most $q^{\rho+1}+1$, where $GF(q^2)$ is the defining field. This bound is tight and is a generalisation of the result of De Beule and Metsch for the case $\rho=2$.