Abstract
The thermally activated crossing of a semiflexible ring polymer over a potential barrier was studied. The crossing rate was calculated using Kramers' rate theory and functional integral method. The crossing rate of a flexible ring was found larger than that for a stiff ring due to its conformational fluctuations. The ring underwent a compact-stretch transition for a long chain length and weak bending modulus. The stretched conformation of the chain resulted in increase of rate with decreasing activation energy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 041801 |
| Pages (from-to) | 418011-418016 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics |
| Volume | 64 |
| Issue number | 4 I |
| State | Published - Oct 2001 |