SHORT-TIME DYNAMICS AND STATICS OF FREE AND CONFINED TETHERED MEMBRANES

Monte Carlo simulation and theoretical results for the short-time dyna mics and the statics of hexagonal self-avoiding tethered membranes in free space or confined in a slit are compared. In particular the initi al decay rate of the dynamic structure factor and the static structure factor are determined. It is shown that for small scattering vector l engths the tethered membrane has the shape and short-time diffusion co nstants of a flat disc. Further it is shown that the decay rate for in termediate scattering vector lengths suggests that the membrane primar ily relaxes through its out-of-plane modes, implying that the membrane behaves as a rather stiff sheet. For a membrane confined to a slit bo th the structure factor and the decay rate with the scattering vector parallel to the membrane surface are in better agreement with theory t han for a free membrane due to suppression of edge fluctuations. The i nfluence of hydrodynamic interactions of the membrane with the slit wa lls on the decay rate is discussed.