The Phase Structure of Strings with Extrinsic Curvature

TL;DR

This paper investigates a three-dimensional fluctuating surface model with extrinsic curvature, using Monte Carlo simulations to analyze its geometric properties and potential phase transition behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a continuum string theory model based on Dynamically Triangulated Random Surfaces with extrinsic curvature and examines its phase structure.

Findings

Observed dramatic crossover in surface geometry observables

Analyzed whether the crossover indicates a phase transition

Provided insights into the geometric behavior of the model

Abstract

We examine a model of non-self-avoiding, fluctuating surfaces as a candidate continuum string theory of surfaces in three dimensions. This model describes Dynamically Triangulated Random Surfaces embedded in three dimensions with an extrinsic curvature dependent action. We analyze, using Monte Carlo simulations, the dramatic crossover behaviour of several observables which characterize the geometry of these surfaces. We then critically discuss whether our observations are indicative of a phase transition.