FRACTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DIPOLE-MOMENTS OF DIELECTRIC PARTICLECHAINS

A simple self-similar fractal model is presented for obtaining the dip ole moments of dielectric particle chains subjected to uniform electri c field. The chains are replaced by equivalent spheres, and the effect ive radii of these spheres are determined from a fractal generating pr ocess. The dipole moments are determined in terms of the effective rad ii and are expressed as simple functions for the fractal dimensions an d the number of the particles in chain. The computed results for the l ongitudinal dipole moments are consistent with the previous calculatio ns of the linear multipole expansion. The many-sphere nature of the mo ments of chains is well understood.