Forbidden formations in 0-1 matrices

Abstract: Keszegh (2009) proved that the extremal function $ex(n, P)$ of any forbidden light $2$-dimensional 0-1 matrix $P$ is at most quasilinear in $n$, using a reduction to generalized Davenport-Schinzel sequences. We extend this result to multidimensional matrices by proving that any light $d$-dimensional 0-1 matrix $P$ has extremal function $$ex(n, P,d) = O(n<sup>{d-1}2<sup>{\alpha(n)<sup>{t}})$$ for some constant $t$ that depends on $P$. To prove this result, we introduce a new family of patterns called $(P, s)$-formations, which are a generalization of $(r, s)$-formations, and we prove upper bounds on their extremal functions. In many cases, including permutation matrices $P$ with at least two ones, we are able to show that our $(P, s)$-formation upper bounds are tight.