Localization of Polymers in Random Media: Analogy with Quantum Particles in Disorder

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In this chapter we review the rich behavior of polymer chains embedded in a quenched random environment. We first consider the problem of a Gaussian chain free to move in a random potential with short-ranged correlations. We derive the equilibrium conformation of the chain using a replica variational ansatz, and highlight the crucial role of the system's volume. A mapping is established to that of a quantum particle in a random potential, and the phenomenon of localization is explained in terms of the dominance of localized tail states of the Schrödinger equation. We also give a physical interpretation of the 1-step replica-symmetry-breaking solution, and elucidate the connection with the statistics of localized tail states. We proceeded to discuss the more realistic case of a chain embedded in a sea of hard obstacles. Here, we show that the chain size exhibits a rich scaling behavior, which depends critically on the volume of the system. In particular, we show that a medium of hard obstacles can be approximated as a Gaussian random potential only for small system sizes. For larger sizes a completely different scaling behavior emerges. Finally we consider the case of a polymer with self-avoiding (excluded volume) interactions. In this case it is found that when disorder is present, the polymer attains a conformation consisting of blobs connected by straight segments. Using Flory type free energy arguments we analyze the statistics of these conformational shapes, and show the existence of a localization-delocalization transition as a function of the strength of the self-avoiding interaction.