  We enumerate all minimal energy packings (MEPs) for small single linear and
ring polymers composed of spherical monomers with contact attractions and
hard-core repulsions, and compare them to corresponding results for monomer
packings. We define and identify ``dividing surfaces" in polymer packings,
which reduce the number of arrangements that satisfy hard-sphere and covalent
bond constraints. Compared to monomer MEPs, polymer MEPs favor intermediate
structural symmetry over high and low symmetries. We also examine the
packing-preparation dependence for longer single chains using molecular
dynamics simulations. For slow temperature quenches, chains form crystallites
with close-packed cores. As quench rate increases, the core size decreases and
the exterior becomes more disordered. By examining the contact number, we
connect suppression of crystallization to the onset of isostaticity in
disordered packings. These studies represent a significant step forward in our
ability to predict how the structural and mechanical properties of compact
polymers depend on collapse dynamics.
