Fluctuation-Induced Interactions between Rods on Membranes and Interfaces

TL;DR

This paper investigates how rods embedded in fluctuating surfaces interact via fluctuation-induced forces, revealing a long-range attraction with complex orientation dependence that influences pattern formation.

Contribution

It introduces a model for fluctuation-induced interactions between rods on membranes or interfaces, highlighting the role of surface tension or rigidity in these forces.

Findings

Interaction decays as 1/R^4 with separation

Interaction depends non-trivially on rod orientation

Potential for pattern formation of rods on surfaces

Abstract

We consider the interaction between two rods embedded in a fluctuating surface which is governed by either surface tension or rigidity. The modification of fluctuations by the rods leads to an attractive long-range interaction that falls off as $1/R^4$ with their separation. The orientational dependence of the resulting interaction is non-trivial and may lead to interesting patterns of rod-like objects on such surfaces.