Subshifts of finite type and self-similar sets

Let $K\subset \mathbb{R}$ be a self-similar set generated by some iterated function system. In this paper we prove, under some assumptions, that K can be identified with a subshift of finite type. With this identification, we can calculate the Hausdorff dimension of K as well as the set of elements in K with unique codings using the machinery of Mauldin and Williams (1988 Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 309 811–29). We give three different applications of our main result. Firstly, we calculate the Hausdorff dimension of the set of points of K with multiple codings. Secondly, in the setting of β-expansions, when the set of all the unique codings is not a subshift of finite type, we can calculate in some cases the Hausdorff dimension of the univoque set. Motivated by this application, we prove that the set of all the unique codings is a subshift of finite type if and only if it is a sofic shift. This equivalent condition was not mentioned by de Vries and Komornik (2009 Adv. Math. 221 390–427, theorem 1.8). Thirdly, for the doubling map with asymmetrical holes, we give a sufficient condition such that the survivor set can be identified with a subshift of finite type. The third application partially answers a problem posed by Alcaraz Barrera (2014 PhD Thesis University of Manchester)