Wiener Integrals and Models of Stiff Polymer Chains

Abstract

In an attempt to obtain simple zeroth‐order models for stiff polymer chains for which the relevant distributions can be obtained in simple analytical closed forms, models based upon Wiener integral representations are investigated. The simplest model, which is discussed in detail, is related to the prescription of Sait̂, Takahashi, and Yunoki for the wormlike chain. The model and its generalization can be considered to be continuous limit analogs of rotational isomeric‐type models of polymer chains in which there are interactions between neighboring, next‐nearest, etc., bonds. Thus these models represent multidimensional Markov processes, and their Wiener integral representations and properties are therefore briefly discussed.