Mean first passage time for the contact between the ends of a chain polymer

Abstract

We investigate the first passage times for the contact between the ends of a Rouse chain, whose initial separation is greater than a predefined contact distance, a, and equilibrium-distributed. An approximate analytic expression for the mean first passage time is obtained and compared with the results of previous theories and Brownian dynamics simulations. We find that the results of the present theory are in better agreement with Brownian dynamics simulation results than those of previously reported theories.