Field-mediated interactions of passive and conformation-active particles: multibody and retardation effects

Abstract

Particles in soft matter often interact through the deformation field they create, as in the "cheerios" effect or the curvature-mediated interactions of membrane proteins. Using a simple model for field-mediated interactions between passive particles, or active particles that switch conformation randomly or synchronously, we derive generic results concerning multibody interactions, activity driven patterns, and retardation effects.

13 pages, 10 figures