Diffusion-controlled first contact of the ends of a polymer: Crossover between two scaling regimes

Jeff Z.Y. Chen, Heng Kwong Tsao, Yu Jane Sheng

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37 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on Monte Carlo simulations of loop formation of an ideal flexible polymer consisting of N bonds with two reactive ends. We determine the first-passage time associated with chain looping that yields a conformation in which the end monomers are separated by a distance a-the reaction radius. In particular, our numerical results demonstrate how this time scale crosses over from τfirst∼N3/2/a to the a-independent τfirst∼N2 as N is increased. The existence and characteristics, of the two scaling regimes and the crossover between the two, are further illuminated by a scaling argument.

Original languageEnglish
Article number031804
JournalPhysical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Volume72
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2005

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