Proper \(n\)-cell polycubes in \(n - 3\) dimensions. (English) Zbl 1292.05080
Summary: A \(d\)-dimensional polycube of size \(n\) is a connected set of \(n\) cubes in \(d\) dimensions, where connectivity is through \((d-1)\)-dimensional faces. Enumeration of polycubes, and, in particular, specific types of polycubes, as well as computing the asymptotic growth rate of polycubes, is a popular problem in combinatorics and discrete geometry. This is also an important tool in statistical physics for computations and analysis of percolation processes and collapse of branched polymers. A polycube is said to be \(proper\) in \(d\) dimensions if the convex hull of the centers of its cubes is \(d\)-dimensional. In this paper we prove that the number of polycubes of size \(n\) that are proper in \(n-3\) dimensions is \(2^{n-6} n^{n-7} (n-3) (12n^{5} - 104n^{4} + 360n^{3} - 679n^{2} + 1122n - 1560)/3\).
MSC:
05B50 | Polyominoes |
05A15 | Exact enumeration problems, generating functions |
05A16 | Asymptotic enumeration |
05C30 | Enumeration in graph theory |
Software:
OEISOnline Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences:
Discriminants of Chebyshev S-polynomials A049310.Number of n-cell fixed polycubes that are proper in n-2 dimensions.
Number of n-cell polycubes that are proper in n-3 dimensions.
a(n) = 6*(n - 3)*(n - 4)*2^(n-3)*n^(n-4).
a(n) = (n - 3)^2*(n - 4)*2^n*n^(n-5).