POLYMER-CHAINS TETHERED TO IMPENETRABLE INTERFACES - BROADENING OF RELAXATION SPECTRA

We investigate the dynamics of an ideal polymer chain which is tethere d with one of its ends to an impenetrable interface. Due to the geomet ric restrictions the relaxation of modes perpendicular to the interfac e differs significantly from that of modes parallel to it. A superposi tion of both components leads to a marked broadening of the relaxation spectrum, which may find its signature in dielectric measurements. We obtain the relevant dynamical quantities for a polymer chain subject to geometric constraints by use of the Smoluchowski equation combined with a Rayleigh-Ritz variational scheme. (C) 1997 American Institute o f Physics.