Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 65, Nos. 1/2, 1991, p. 139-165.
This study applies the theory of stochastic processes to the equilibrium statistical physics of polymers in solution. The topics treated include random copolymers and randomly branching polymers, with self-consistent mean field effects. A new and more natural way of dealing with Boltzmann weighting is discussed, which makes it possible from the beginning of a calculation to consider only the "physical" polymer conformations. We also show that in general the random copolymer problem can be reduced to the ordinary polymer problem, and treat the self-consistent field problem for a general branching polymer.