The $(2,3)$-generation of the finite unitary groups

Abstract

In this paper we prove that the unitary groups $SU_n(q^2)$ are $(2,3)$-generated for any prime power $q$ and any integer $n\geq 8$. By previous results this implies that, if $n\geq 3$, the groups $SU_n(q^2)$ and $PSU_n(q^2)$ are $(2,3)$-generated, except when $(n,q)\in\{(3,2),(3,3),(3,5),(4,2), (4,3),(5,2)\}$.Comment: In this version, we obtained a complete classification of the finite simple unitary groups which are (2,3)-generated; some proofs have been semplifie