Abstract
It is shown that the concept of fractal dimensionality, recently proposed by Mandelbrot, provides a useful characterization of the configurational properties of a single polymer. From numerical studies of self-avoiding walks, computer generated by Monte Carlo methods, we find that a single-chain configuration possesses a statistical self-similarity property and therefore has a well-defined fractal dimensionality. The fluctuations in fractal dimensionality measured on a single-chain configuration vanish as the number of steps increases. It is shown that renormalization-group theory provides a theoretical basis for the concept of fractal dimensionality in polymers, as well as for its relation to the end-to-end exponent.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1728-1734 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Physical Review A |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1982 |