Mode-coupling theory for heteropolymers

Estelle Pitard, Eugene I. Shakhnovich

Published 1999-10-26Version 1

We study the Langevin dynamics of a heteropolymer by means of a mode-coupling approximation scheme, giving rise to a set of coupled integro-differential equations relating the response and correlation functions. The analysis shows that there is a regime at low temperature characterized by out-of-equilibrium dynamics, with violation of time-translational invariance and of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. The onset of ageing dynamics at low temperatures gives new insight into the nature of the slow dynamics of a disordered polymer. We also introduce a renormalization-group treatment of our mode-coupling equations, which supports our analysis, and might be applicable to other systems.