Loop formation and stability of self-avoiding polymer chains

Abstract

Using 3-dimensional Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigated the dynamics of loop formation of chains with excluded volume interactions, and the stability of the formed loop. The mean looping time τl scales with chain length N and corresponding scaling exponent α increases linearly with the capture radius scaled by the Kuhn length a/l due to the effect of finite chain length. We also showed that the probability density function of the looping time is well fitted by a single exponential. Finally, we found that the mean unlooping time τu hardly depends on chain length N for a given a/l and that the stability of a formed loop is enhanced with increasing a/l.