Topologically linked polymers are anyon systems

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSLETA.2004.02.021MaRDI QIDQ2383221zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Franco Ferrari

Publication date 8 October 2007

Published in Physics Letters. A (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0401102

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Differential geometric methods, including holonomy, Berry and Hannay phases, Aharonov-Bohm effect, etc. in quantum theory (81Q70) Statistical mechanics of polymers (82D60)

Abstract: We consider the statistical mechanics of a system of topologically linked polymers, such as for instance a dense solution of polymer rings. If the possible topological states of the system are distinguished using the Gauss linking number as a topological invariant, the partition function of an ensemble of N closed polymers coincides with the 2N point function of a field theory containing a set of N complex replica fields and Abelian Chern-Simons fields. Thanks to this mapping to field theories, some quantitative predictions on the behavior of topologically entangled polymers have been obtained by exploiting perturbative techniques. In order to go beyond perturbation theory, a connection between polymers and anyons is established here. It is shown in this way that the topological forces which maintain two polymers in a given topological configuration have both attractive and repulsive components. When these opposite components reach a sort of equilibrium, the system finds itself in a self-dual point similar to that which, in the Landau-Ginzburg model for superconductors, corresponds to the transition from type I to type II superconductivity. The significance of self-duality in polymer physics is illustrated considering the example of the so-called $4-plat$ configurations, which are of interest in the biochemistry of DNA processes like replication, transcription and recombination. The case of static vortex solutions of the Euler-Lagrange equations is discussed.

Recommendations

• Knots, links, anyons and statistical mechanics of entangled polymer rings
• Polymer topology and Chern-Simons field theory
• Field theories and the problem of topological entanglement in polymer physics
• Field theory of N entangled polymers
• On Abelian multi-Chern Simons field theories

Cites work

• Field theory of N entangled polymers
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1702950 (Why is no real title available?)
• Lifting the curtain: Using topology to probe the hidden action of enzymes
• The statistical mechanics of topological polymers: a field theorist point of view

Cited in

(6)

• A new strategy to microscopic modeling of topological entanglement in polymers based on field theory
• Knots, links, anyons and statistical mechanics of entangled polymer rings
• Emergence and topological order in classical and quantum systems
• Topological entanglement of polymers and Chern-Simons field theory
• Thermodynamic and topological properties of copolymer rings with a segregation/mixing transition
• Self-dual solutions of a field theory model of two linked rings

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