Nonalgebraic first-return probability of a stretched random walk near a convex boundary and its effect on adsorption
Phys. Rev. E 112, 064125 – Published 19 December, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/b34v-8x6j
Abstract
The -step random walk, elongated in the vicinity of a disk (in 2D) or a sphere (in 3D) of radius , demonstrates a nonalgebraic stretched exponential decay for the first-return probability in the double-scaling limit conditioned that . Stretching means that the length of the walk, (where is the unit step length) satisfies the condition , where and under first return we understand the radial first arrival to a boundary. Both analytic and numerical evidence of the nonalgebraic behavior of are provided. Considering the model of a polymer loop stretched (inflated) by external force, we show that nonalgebraic behavior of affects the adsorption of a polymer at the boundary of a sticky disk in 2D, manifesting in a first-order localization transition.