Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 36, Number 5, November II 1996
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 325 - 330 | |
Section | General | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i1996-00230-6 | |
Published online | 01 September 2002 |
Giant vesicles at the prolate-oblate transition: A macroscopic bistable system
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Kolloid-und Grenzflächenforschung,
Kantstraße 55, 14513 Teltow-Seehof, Germany
2
Department of Physics, University of British Columbia,
6224 Agriculture Road, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 2A6
Received:
22
July
1996
Accepted:
20
September
1996
Giant phospholipid vesicles are shown to exhibit
thermally activated transitions
between a prolate and an oblate shape on a time scale of several
seconds. From the fluctuating contour of such a vesicle we
extract ellipticity as an effective reaction coordinate whose
temporal probability distribution is bimodal. We then reconstruct
the effective potential from which we derive an activation energy of
the order of in agreement with theoretical calculations. The
dynamics of this transition is well described within a Kramers model
of overdamped diffusion in a bistable potential. Thus, this system can serve
as a model for macroscopic
bistability.
PACS: 05.40.+j – Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, and Brownian motion / 68.15.+e – Liquid thin films / 82.70.-y – Disperse systems
© EDP Sciences, 1996
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