Delocalization transitions of semi-flexible manifolds

TL;DR

This paper investigates the delocalization transitions of semi-flexible manifolds like membranes and polymers using field-theoretic methods, revealing the effects of randomness and phase transition characteristics.

Contribution

It introduces a field-theoretic approach to study delocalization transitions in semi-flexible manifolds with short-range interactions, including effects of randomness.

Findings

Randomness is relevant for fluid membranes.

Polymers exhibit a first-order transition at finite temperature.

The approach applies operator product expansion to analyze phase behavior.

Abstract

Semi-flexible manifolds such as fluid membranes or semi-flexible polymers undergo delocalization transitions if they are subject to attractive interactions. We study manifolds with short-ranged interactions by field-theoretic methods based on the operator product expansion of local interaction fields. We apply this approach to manifolds in a random potential. Randomness is always relevant for fluid membranes, while for semi-flexible polymers there is a first order transition to the strong coupling regime at a finite temperature.