Stretching semiflexible filaments with quenched disorder
arXiv:1006.3698 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.82.050802
Abstract
We study the effect of quenched randomness in the arc-length dependent spontaneous curvature of a wormlike chain under tension. In the weakly bending approximation in two dimensions, we obtain analytic results for the force-elongation curve and the width of transverse fluctuations. We compare quenched and annealed disorder and conclude that the former cannot always be reduced to a simple change in the stiffness of the pure system. We also discuss the effect of a random transverse force on the stretching response of a wormlike chain without spontaneous curvature.
5 pages, minor changes, added references, final version as published in PRE