Entropic elasticity of lamellar tethered membrane phases.

Abstract

Entropic elastic constants of lamellar tethered membrane phases are considered both in the vicinity of and at temperatures well below the membrane crumpling transition critical point. We calculate entropic forces acting on boundaries of these systems. Various predictions of the statistical physics of tethered membranes, such as the breakdown of the classical membrane elasticity theory at low temperatures or the existence of the crumpling transition, can be tested experimentally by using our results.