Dual free energies in Poisson-Boltzmann theory

TL;DR

This paper develops a dual field theory formulation of Poisson-Boltzmann theory using a path integral approach, enabling more accurate numerical calculations of free energies beyond the mean-field approximation.

Contribution

It introduces a dual Sine-Gordon field theory in terms of the displacement field, providing a new strategy for precise free energy computations beyond leading order.

Findings

Formulation of a dual path integral for Poisson-Boltzmann theory.

Development of a numerical strategy for free energy calculations.

Enhanced understanding of fluctuation corrections in electrostatic theories.

Abstract

Poisson-Boltzmann theory allows one to study soft matter and biophysical systems involving point-like charges of low valencies. The inclusion of fluctuation corrections beyond the mean-field approach typically requires the application of loop expansions around a mean-field solution for the electrostatic potential \(\phi({\bf r})\), or sophisticated variational approaches. Recently, Poisson-Boltzmann theory has been recast, via a Legendre transform, as a mean-field theory involving the dielectric displacement field \({\bf D}({\bf r})\). In this paper we consider the path integral formulation of the dual theory. Exploiting the transformation between \(\phi\) and \({\bf D}\), we formulate a dual Sine-Gordon field theory in terms of the displacement field and provide a strategy for precise numerical computations of free energies beyond the leading order.