Elasticity of semiflexible polymers

Abstract

We present a method for solving the wormlike chain model for semiflexible polymers to any desired accuracy over the entire range of polymer lengths. Our results are in excellent agreement with recent computer simulations and reproduce important qualitatively interesting features observed in simulations of polymers of intermediate lengths. We also make a number of predictions that can be tested in a variety of concrete experimental realizations. The expected level of finite size fluctuations in force-extension curves is also estimated. This study is relevant to mechanical properties of biological molecules.