title: Stiff polymer in monomer ensemble.
abstract: We employ an ordered monomer ensemble formalism in order to develop techniques to investigate a stiff polymer chain which is confined to a certain region. In particular, we calculate the segment density for a given location and segment orientation distribution within the confining geometry. With this method the role of the stiffness can be examined by means of differential equations, integral equations, or recursive relations for both continuum and lattice models. A suitable choice of lattice model permits an exact analytical solution for the segment location and orientation density for a chain between two parallel plates. For the stiff polymer in a spherical cavity we develop an integral equation formalism which is treated numerically, and in the same spherical geometry, a different model of the polymer displays a solution of a differential equation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa. kkmn@physics.sun.ac.za
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Müller-Nedebock
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Frisch
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Percus