FROM SELF-SIMILAR STRUCTURES TO SELF-SIMILAR GROUPS

Abstract

We explore the relationship between the limit spaces of contracting self-similar groups and self-similar structures. We give the condition on a contracting group such that its limit space admits a self-similar structure, and also the condition such that this self-similar structure is post-critically finite (p.c.f.). We then give necessary and sufficient conditions for a p.c.f. self-similar structure to be the limit space of a contracting self-similar group. When these conditions hold we give a construction of the contracting group. Finally, we illustrate our results with several examples.