Stiff chain model—functional integral approach

• DOI: 10.1063/1.461106
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T12:20:17Z
• Authors: Jolanta B. Lagowski; Jaan Noolandi; Bernie Nickel
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

We present a modified probability distribution for a single stiff chain. This probability distribution includes the usual Wiener measure that accounts for the bond length distribution and a term that associates an explicit energy with the bending of the chain. The modification includes additional factors that suppress the end fluctuations to make the chain homogeneous. Our result for the mean squared end-to-end distance is that for the Kratky–Porod chain but the analysis clarifies a number of points in the literature.