Path integrals for stiff polymers applied to membrane physics.
Path integrals similar to those describing stiff polymers arise in the Helfrich model for membranes. We show how these types of path integrals can be evaluated and apply our results to study the thermodynamics of a minority stripe phase in a bulk membrane. The fluctuation induced contribution to the line tension between the stripe and the bulk phase is computed. Also the effective interaction between the interfaces of the two phases can be computed. Explicit forms are given for this Casmir-like interaction in the tensionless case where the two phases have differing bending rigidities.
Dean
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IRSAMC, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 04, France. dean@irsamc.ups-tlse.fr
Horgan
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